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128
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
"The difficulty in such a case is obvious. The only evidence
"which I was able to obtain of the date mentioned in the summons
"was the evidence of the Sanitary Inspector. None of the other
"witnesses, of whom there were twenty in number, were able to
"give evidence of the nuisance on that date.
"If therefore the Chairman had not upheld the objection to
"the conviction, he would have pinned the Respondents to a
"particular date, and their case would probably have failed,
"although the evidence of general conduct included the Vicar of
"the Parish, two resident medical men, and many of the principal
"owners and occupiers in the locality."
It having been brought to the notice of the Council that
these premises were without proper drainage, an order was made
for the works to be drained into the sewer and this was complied
with in September, 1903. Since that date a large number of complaints
have been made by the occupiers of houses in the neighbourhood
of smell from the sewer gratings in the roadways. This
is due to the offensive nature of the effluent from the works, and
also to the fact that the effluent is discharged at a temperature
above that of ordinary sewage, but not, so far as can be ascertained,
above 110 degrees Fahr.
A Reeves' ventilating apparatus has been fixed in one of the
manholes and this mitigates the smell to some extent.
All the ventilating openings and the ventilating shafts have
been closed so that the smell is not now so much complained of.
The premises are being kept under daily observation and if any
further contravention of the By-laws are noticed the matter will be
at once reported to the Council.
Offensive Trade Refuse.
The waste offal from fishmongers, poulterers and butchers
was collected by the Council in their own vans and taken to the
Destructor, at the charge of 4d. per tin (the Council providing the
tins), the refuse was then removed by a firm of Fish Manure
Manufacturers, the Council paying for the cartage, the manufacturer
making an allowance of 7/- per ton for the waste. The