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plish before the entire sub-district ean be pronounced so thoroughly satisfactory
as it is believed to be in the power of the authorities to render it.*
A further extension of the sewerage in the direction of the Charlwood and
Upper Richmond Roads, being now wisely resolved upon, it is earnestly hoped
the insertion of the above table will not only serve to justify an unqualified
approval of the scheme, but also help to remove one of the greatest drawbacks
to sanitary progress, viz., the extraordinary notion said to prevail in some
quarters, that the drainage and other improvements of portions of a district
can alone benefit those who reside in the immediate vicinity of such improvements,
and that, therefore, certain ratepayers are justified in claiming exemption
from assessments for such purposes made upon the inhabitants of a town generally
! It may seem almost superfluous to attempt to combat seriously such a
notion, but that well-known fable which speaks of the unhappy differences that
" once upon a time" sprang up between the trunk and limbs of a human subject
and which was productive of such disastrous results to both, may here be referred
to with advantage, as exhibiting the untenable nature of such an argument
as I have adverted to. The moral of this excellent fable is, that if a
part of a body suffers, all the other parts must, sooner or later, suffer with
it, or if one portion is benefited, all the other portions must, in due time, receive
a corresponding advantage, and that therefore it became a most suicidical
policy for each organ to repudiate the good offices of the others, and to
refuse to work together for the common benefit of all.† If the sewerage of
the entire sub-district must, sooner or later, be rendered complete, it is surely
the wiser policy—without reference to whether the advantages to ourselves
individually will be direct or indirect, immediate or remote—to endeavour to
arrive at such completeness in the most inexpensive and deliberate manner,
than to be driven to accomplish it hastily and therefore badly, at a time
when the parisli may possibly be in anything but a favourable condition for
* In addition to the sanitary works indicated by Table VI., Appendix, as having
been accomplished in the sub-district during the year 1859, it should be mentioned
that all the buildings used for slaughtering purposes were carefully inspected and
reported on by me previous to the time appointed for renewal of licences. I am
pleased to state that all these places were found to be both clean and free from
nuisances, and iu possession of all the sanitary requisites insisted upon by the
authorities.
Another exceedingly beneficial work in the way of sanitary improvement, accomplished
by private subscription, and therefore not mentioned in the table, may be
here alluded to, viz., the erection of a drinking fountain in one of the main thoroughfares
of the town. It is a structure worthy both of the town and the subscribers,
particularly so of the gentleman who, as the originator and largest contributor,
has throughout superintended its erection. This fountain may be justly said to be
as ornamental as it is unquestionably useful.
† It is much to be regretted that so many difficulties should stand in the way of
the present effectual drainage of Roehampton. A by no means difficult or expensive
scheme was recently propounded for this purpose, which although approved by the
District Board, Local Committee, and the Surveyor, was, I am told, set aside by the
Metropolitan Board on the plea of its being not altogether compatible with the scheme
of main drainage. If this be so, it surely affords an additional reason why an extension
of, at least, so much of the drainage as may be really compatible with the general
scheme, should be carried out in such portions of the parish as most need it, and where
it has been long and urgently petitioned for, since if the whole be left for accomplishment
until the central authority moves in the matter, there can be but very little
doubt that much heavier expenses will have to be incurred to meet the then peremptory
requirements of such authority than will now be the case.