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upon the Wood and Brodie system, but subsequently they recommended the adoption of a plan
showing a two-celled destructor with boilers behind upon the Beaman and Deas principle as at work in
Warrington and in course of construction at Leyton. The recommendation of the committee was
adopted.
Woolwich.—"The pail system continues to work most satisfactorily, the dust is removed
weekly from every house in the district and from some of the streets in the poorer parts of the town
twice or thrice weekly." The surveyor reports that the cost of removal of refuse by barges would
have been greater by £449 13s. Id., than the disposal of the same quantity by the destructor.
Lee.—The reports show that but few complaints were received of non-removal of house refuse.
Plumstead—The medical officer of health reports that " there is now no dust inspector, and it
is impossible for the present staff of sanitary inspectors to look after the dust collection." A report of
the Public Health Committee states that " another sanitary inspector will shortly be appointed." The
same report also states " the necessary public announcement has been made under the London County
Council's by-laws for a daily collection in High-street and Plumstead-road."
Dust shoots.
The medical officer of health of Battersea states that the chief sanitary inspector of the district
" detected the Clapham parish authorities depositing road slop in an excavation in front of some houses
on Clapham-common." A builder had excavated some 887 cubic yards of sand and gravel and the
" Clapham authorities " had deposited this road slop in the excavation in contravention of the Council's
by-laws under the Public Health (London) Act. The sanitary committee of the vestry allowed the
matter which had been deposited to remain subject, inter alia, to the same being covered with 4 inches
of lime in every part. The deposit and sorting of animal and vegetable matter upon ground and in
railway arches at the rear of Stainforth-road was under the consideration of the sanitary committee
who required the material to be removed more frequently.
The medical officer of health of Plumstead states that so far as he saw or was able to learn no
house refuse was deposited last year on private shoots within 300 yards of houses, " all went to the
parish shoot on the levels. This, as I reported last year, was within the prescribed distance of houses
but being carefully treated by burning and covering with soil produced no nuisance. Quite recently
land has been procured beyond the 300 yards limit, and the dust is now being shot there."
Nuisance from sewer ventilators.
The subject of nuisance from sewer ventilators is referred to in the reports of the medical officers
of health of Paddington, Kensington, Fulham, Hampstead, Strand, City, Limehouse, Poplar, Greenwich,
Eltham and Plumstead. The Vestry of Fulham instituted proceedings against the Council in respect of
nuisance from a ventilating opening to one of the Council's main sewers. The case was heard at the
Kensington Petty Sessions and the bench decided that "the Public Health (London) Act, did not apply
to public sewers constructed by the London County Council." " Against this decision the vestry
appealed, and the bench having refused to state a case the Superior Court made a rule and directed the
Kensington justice to state a special case for their consideration."
The medical officer of health of the Strand district presented to the Health Committee of the
District Board a summary of replies received from 58 local authorities within and beyond London to
inquiries made by him as to injury to health caused by sewer air, as to the remedies for nuisances from
sewer ventilators, and as to the desirability of sanitary authorities having compulsory powers to erect
sewer ventilating shafts on private property. The replies show that ventilating shafts are largely used.
The medical officer of health of Plumstead says that in that district " flap valves have been placed in the
sewers at frequent intervals, which prevent, the ascent of the sewer gas and the sewer immediately below
each valve is connected with a shaft ventilator. The grid openings are left to act as inlets."
In Poplar experiments are being made with a gas lamp connected with a ventilation shaft with
the object of determining the extent to which the air passing from the sewer through the lamp is
sterilized.
Housing of the working Classes.
During 1896 the following steps were taken under the Housing of the Working Classes Act.
Schemes undertaken by the Council under Part I. of the Act.
Boundary-street, Betlinal-green.—During the year progress was made in the erection of buildings
on the Boundary-street area. In February the Council approved the plans, estimates, &c., for the
erection of dwellings and workshops on plot E., in March of dwellings on plot F., and in December of
dwellings on plot J. In July the Council decided that elevated terraces should be formed of the central
open space and that they should be made into a garden. In March, 1897, the number accommodated
on the area was 1,537 and further provision was being made for 3.300.
Trafalgar-road, Greenivicli. —In January the Public Health and Housing Committee reported
that they had not succeeded in finding bidders for the erection of block dwellings on this site, but that
they thought that if permitted to erect cottage dwellings purchasers might be found for the land. This
would necessitate a further reduction in the number of persons to be accommodated, viz., from 245 to
191. The Council resolved to apply to the Home Secretary for an Order modifying the scheme with
this object. In October the Committee reported that this application had been granted, and in December
Council appointed an architect to design cottages for the site.
Clare-market, Strand.—The Public Health and Housing Committee having taken the necessary
steps to obtain the confirmation of this scheme a local inquiry was held by Mr. Stewart, on behalf of
the Home Secretary, at the office of the Strand District Board , but the confirming order was not
received in time for the introduction of a bill into Parliament during 1896.