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12
year under review. Suffice it to say the Main Sewerage of
the district has, since the last report was made, been largely
supplemented, and that a great amount of other sanitary
work has been accomplished, that cannot fail to produce
good results in the future. Manifestly, too, the same good
judgment, as hitherto observed, has been employed by the
Surveyors and Inspectors in avoiding litigation, and it is
gratifying to find that the number of summonses heard at
the Police Court have declined from 17 to 8 in favour of
the past year.
The nuisances arising from the keeping of pigs are
found to have been much fewer, but they are still
sufficiently numerous to warrant the authorities in keeping
in view the promise of the Minister, that he would
endeavour, at no distant period, to give them increased
legal powers of dealing with such nuisances through the
system of licensing.
Water Supply.—No furthur advance appears to have
been made in securing to the inhabitants the full benefits
of the system of constant supply. It is difficult to
attribute to the absurdly expensive regulations as to the
requirements of new fittings, &c., any other design on the
part of the Companies than that of postponing, as long as
possible, their responsibilities under the new Act. The
fact that but one or two of the Water Companies have
as yet taken any active steps in the matter, is beginning
to tell upon the public patience, and there are not wanting
those who think that the long-promised and long-looked-for
boon of a constant service, stands but a poor chance of
ever being fully realized. Be this as it may, it is some
satisfaction to find that the last report of Dr. Frankland
(25th April) speaks more favourably than usual of the
condition of all the Metropolitan waters. "The water,"
he states, "drawn from the Thames during the month by
the Chelsea, West Middlesex, Southwark and Vauxhall,
Grand Junction, and Lambeth Companies, was of much