View report page

4
(b) By hand labour—continued—
St. Luke.
Bethnal-green (partly).
St. George-in-the-East.
Limehouse.
Mile-end Old-town.
Poplar (partly).
St. Olave.
Newington (at certain periods of the year when there is much demand for ashes
and breeze by brickmakers).
Sorting by machinery is carried on at the dust depots belonging to the Vestry of Paddington,
and to Messrs. Hobbs and Messrs. Mead. They are all situated on the north side of Paddington-basin
on the Grand Junction Canal, and it was stated at each that usually the refuse brought in during the
day is sorted and sifted and removed from the wharf within twenty-four hours of its arrival. The
ashes and breeze are conveyed along shoots direct from the sorting machine, and loaded into barges
alongside the wharf. The soft core is collected and either burnt in a furnace or loaded into barges and
removed.
The condition of these depots on the days when they were visited confirm the statements that
this process of sorting by machinery can, generally speaking, be carried on without infringement of the
by-law which limits the time during which deposited house refuse in course of removal may
remain in proximity to occupied buildings, streets, &c. But at the wharf belonging to the Vestry of
Paddington and at that of Messrs. Mead and Co. collections of fine ash were observed, and in both cases
it was stated that these accumulations had lain there for a longer period than twenty-four hours; it is
also stated that during hot weather this fine ash is liable to become offensive owing to the presence of
small quantities of vegetable refuse which are not separated by the machine.
The details of the business of hand sorting and sifting have already been described in the report
of the engineer and medical officer on dust destructors. This process doubtless can also be so carried on
that the house refuse is manipulated and loaded into barges within twenty-four hours of arrival at the dustyard.
But it may be said that the business of hand or machine sorting, in itself, may at times be a
cause of delay in the prompt removal of the refuse or of some of its constituent parts.
The following is a list of dust depots in the county at which sorting and sifting is still carried
on, all these have been inspected during the course of the enquiry into the collection and disposal of
house refuse.
Dust depot of the Paddington Vestry, Paddington-basin.—This yard was found to be well
paved and drained and kept in a cleanly condition. Sorting is done by machinery, twenty-seven hands
are employed on the work, this number including 14 women. Sufficient water-closet and lavatory
accommodation, as well as a sitting room and kitchen, is provided for the workers. On the day of
inspection a heap of fine ash was observed on the wharf, which it was stated had been there for a
period of three or four days. The work is carried on under cover.
Messrs. Meads' wharf, Paddington-basin.—Yard paved and drained and clean. Sorting is
effected by machinery, a varying number of men, women and boys being employed ; these work under
cover. Adequate water-closet accommodation for the two sexes is provided, namely, two water-closets
for women and two water-closets and a urinal for the men. There is no lavatory nor room for meals;
during meal hours all hands go home.
A heap of fine ash, said to be the accumulation of two or three days, was also observed on this
wharf; it was stated that this occurrence was unusual.
There is a furnace here in which the paper and lighter portions of the house refuse are burnt.
Messrs. Hobbs' wharf, Paddington-basin.—On the day of inspection this yard was found to be
only partially paved, and consequently not in a cleanly condition. It was stated that the yard is about
to be properly paved. The sorting is now done by machinery only, all hand sorting having been given
up, and as a result the yard was found to be cleaner and kept in a better condition than at the date of a
visit some twelve months previously. Adequate water-closet accommodation for the two sexes is provided.
There is no room for meals and no lavatory, all workers going home at meal times.
Men, women and boys are employed for the work which is carried on under cover.
Crane's wharf, Kingsland Basin, Regent's Canal—Hackney parish.—At the date of inspection one
of these wharves was being paved and drained, and sanitary conveniences were being provided. Sorting
and sifting is here carried on by hand labour, men and women being employed, but no work was going
on when the wharf was visited. The refuse, after manipulation, is removed by barges. A large heap of
soft and hard core was observed on the wharf, but it is possible that at the time this was unavoidable
owing to temporary disuse of one wharf which was undergoing repairs, decreasing the berth accommodation
for barges and interfering with the ordinary routine removal of the refuse. The wharf was in an
untidy and dirty condition.
Cookson's dust depot, Tinworth-street—Lambeth parish.—This yard is paved and drained.
About 20 women and 10 men and several boys were engaged in hand sorting and sifting the house refuse
brought here. The work is carried on in an uncovered yard immediately adjoining the London and
South-Western Railway, one of the arches under the line being used for storing breeze separated from
the refuse; a large heap of this in a steaming condition was observed on the day of inspection. There is
a 2-celled furnace here in which the paper and soft core is burnt. The ashes and breeze are removed by
barge to Kent and Essex from a wharf in close proximity to the yard on the Albert-embankment. It
is stated that as a rule the refuse, which is brought into the yard during one day, is manipulated and the
offensive portions removed within 24 hours. The yard is situated in a narrow street and within 100
yards of inhabited houses.
Separate water-closet accommodation for the sexes is provided. No lavatory nor room for
meals has been provided ; it is stated all the workers live near the yard and go home during meal hours,
and that there is no necessity for providing this accommodation.