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received from all the authorities with the exception of the Vestry of Paddington, and wo observe
with satisfaction the increased activity on the part of the several authorities which has resulted in
a considerable improvement in the state of the canals. We submit the replies for the information of
the Council in the following summarised form—
Name of authority. Summary of reply.
Hammersmith There are no mud deposits in the portion of the canal in that parish, and there
is no necessity for the periodical scavenging of the water.
Kensington No action is necessary. The canal is systematically cleansed, and the water is
in a cleanly condition throughout.
Chelsea No mud deposits have been removed by the canal company. The surface is
not scavenged with sufficient regularity, but floating nuisances have been
removed on request of the sanitary inspector. The surface of water is
littered with papers blown off barges removing house refuse" There are no
lay-byes in the parish. The three wharves are only used for loading bricks
and gravel.
St. Marylebone The canal is not dredged, but the company have removed floating offensive
matter at least once a week. A sewer will be constructed to divert the
drainage from the Zoological-gardens to the St. Pancras sewer system.
St. Pancrat The canal company have been engaged in dredging operations, and 3,400 tons
of deposit have been removed. Statutory notices have been served on
owners of lay-byes, docks, and other places abutting on the canal, requiring
the abatement of nuisances. Details of the proposed new sewer from
the Zoological Society's Gardens are now settled with the Vestry of St.
Marylebone.
Islington The surface of the water is periodically cleansed.
St. Luke's Notices have been served upon the company to scavenge the canal. The
vestry is prepared to co-operate in any joint action that may be taken in
the future.
Shoreditch The vestry is in communication with the canal company as to the scavenging
of the surface and banks and the removal of mud; and is also taking steps
to deal with the condition of the wharves abutting on the canal.
Hackney The house drains connected with the canal have been removed and the
drainage carried into the local sewers. The dust wharves at Hertford-road
Kingsland, have been repaired and drained. Initiatory steps have been
taken for paving and draining two other wharves near Kingsland-basin.
The Board do not know if any mud deposits have been removed or if the
water is scavenged periodically or regularly.
Bethnal-green The vestry has not found it requisite to take any action since the conference.
Mile-end, Old-town Ballast has been laid on the towing paths remedying the nuisance from pools
of stagnant water. The lock-keepers' houses have been drained with
separate drains instead of into the canal as formerly. The vestry does
not know if any mud deposits have been removed.
Limehouse The surface of the water has been scavenged. No mud deposits have been
removed since December, except that from Brunton's wharf.
The Council will be glad to notice that the details of the proposed new sewer, which will divert the
drainage of the Zoological-gardens from the Regent's canal, are now settled, and that one large source
of nuisance will thus shortly be removed.
We have thought it well to address further communications to the canal companies urging them to
. have the surface of the water scavenged and mud deposits removed from the canals at regular periods,
and are also still in correspondence with several sanitary authorities on the subject.
Private Mews.
Complaint having been made to the Council of the condition of various private mews in the
parishes of Kensington, Paddington and Marylebone, I was instructed to report on the subject, and
109 private mews were therefore inspected for this purpose. In all but seven the paving, lighting, and
general condition of maintenance and repair were found to be satisfactory. Inquiry was also made, for
the purposes of comparison, into the condition of certain public mews, with the result that private
mews were found to compare favourably with public mews. During the inquiry 70 dung receptacles
were found which did not comply with the Council's by-laws, and communications were addressed to
the sanitary authorities concerned.
Combined Drainage.
During the year the attention of the Council was directed to difficulties experienced by London
sanitary authorities in dealing with old combined systems of house drainage, courts of law having
decided that such combined drains were sewers for the maintenance of which the authorities were
responsible, unless they were constructed under an order of the sewer authority pursuant to section 74
of the Metropolis Local Management Act.
On November 20th, 1894, the Main Drainage Committee presented to the Council the following
report, which was, however, by leave, withdrawn by the Chairman of the Committee—
We have received several communications from local authorities in London on the subject of the
law as regards combined drainage, and on the 28th of June last we received a deputation from a
conference of vestries and district boards convened by the Holborn District Board to discuss the matter.
The deputation referred to the difficulties experienced by local sanitary authorities in dealing with the
question of combined drainage, and asked the Council to promote legislation with a view to an alteration
in the definition of the words drain and sewer in the Metropolis Management Acts. The present
definition of the word drain (sec. 150 of the Act of 1855) is— "any drain of and used for the drainage of
"one building only, or premises within the same curtilage, and made merely for the purpose of
"communicating with a cesspool or other like receptable for drainage, or with a sewer into which the
"drainage of two or more buildings or premises occupied by different persons is conveyed;" and also
(sec. 112 of the Act of 1862) "any drain for draining any group or block of houses by a combined
"operation under the order of any vestry or district board, or pursuant to the order or direction or with
"the sanction or approval of the Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers." Old combined drains into
which the drainage of more than one house is conducted are sewers within the terms of the Metropolis
Management Act. These drains were no doubt originally constructed for tho accommodation of the
particular houses, and in some cases through private land, It is now found that they are defective and
wearing out, and their repair and renewal involves considerable expense and difficulty to the ratepayers.