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seem to have been most satisfactory, at any rate, judging from the
statements of the inhabitants themselves, who had no complaints
to make either of the past or of the present condition of the field,
although the formation of a coal depot seems generally objected to.
It was reported to your Committee that two complaints only
had been received upon this subject in your Sanitary Office, previous
to the date of this reference from the Vestry, the first being from a
resident in Cilfton Terrace on August 14th, 1874, and the second on
January 22nd, 1875, from a gentleman residing in South Hornsey,
who subsequently wrote to explain that his complaint was not a
personal one, so much as on account of the neighbourhood. The
same gentleman also renewed his complaint on March 10th, 1875.
The purport of each complaint was that dust refuse, mixed with
vegetable matter, was being deposited upon the field in such quantities
as to give rise to offensive smells.
The several reports of your inspectors in respect to these two
specific complaints (and also to the third which was a repetition of
the second), as contained in Schedule B, are substantially the same,
each stating that the dust refuse, which was undoubtedly being deposited,
but in limited quantities only, was also being at the same
time covered with still larger quantities of clay, so that nothing offensive
could be perceived, nor has there ever been sufficient cause
on the occasions when they have visited it, to form the subject of
remonstrance with the owners on the ground of nuisance, although,
as a precaution, the man in charge has been warned against allowing
much dust to be shot there.
It is commonly stated that the embankment upon this field has
been, and is still being, formed of immense quantities of clay,
so as to constitute a solid foundation, whilst comparatively small
quantities of dust refuse and other rubbish have been shot, and
then only in such quantities as were needed for the purpose of
being worked with the clay. Hence the slow progress made; for if,
on the other hand, unlimited deposits of dust refuse had been
either invited or permitted, the London contractors would long since
have converted the plain into a mountain.