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Dr. Priestley states that complaints were received as to effluvium nuisauce as well as smoke
from the destructor chimney in Bengeworth-road, Loughborough-junction. In this destructor,
the heat from which is used for the production of electricity, house refuse is burnt as in Shoreditch,
and the plant is constructed for this purpose, and is entirely new. " The magistrate
decided, however, that the burning of house refuse was not necessary for the production of
electricity, but that proper fuel (e.g., Welsh coal) was to be used; and no refuse has been burnt
in the destructor since." In Hammersmith proceedings were successfully instituted against the
Electric Traction Company. Railway companies were proceeded against in Hammersmith,
Shoreditch, Whitechapel, and Wandsworth district (Streatham parish). In other districts
nuisances from various premises were dealt with ; thus proceedings before the magistrate were
instituted in Fulham in 3 cases, in Westminster in 3, in the City in 2, in Islington 3, in
Shoreditch in 5, in Whitechapel in 2, Limehouse in 7, Rotherhithe in 1, Lambeth in 2, Wandsworth
(Streatham) 1, (Wandsworth) 3. The medical officers of health of Shoreditch and Clerkenwell
say that there has been appreciable improvement in the condition of these districts in respect
of smoke nuisance as the result of the action that has been taken in recent years, and the medical
officer of health of Hackney reports that " the general result of the service of the notices has
been to cause a more general use of anthracite coal in the furnaces of factories, and the adoption
of proper smoke-consuming apparatus."
The chief officer of the Public Control Department of the Council has reported that, during
the twelve months ended 31st March, 1901, 1,018 cases of smoke nuisance were reported by the
Council's inspectors of explosives and coal officers.
Removal of offensive matter and stable manure.
In my last report I stated that the Public Health Committee had had under consideration
the need for amendment of the by-law relating to the removal of offensive matter. Under the
existing by-law the carriage of horse dung manure is exempted from the requirements of the
by-law, and the increasing use of peat moss litter made it necessary to require that offensive
manure should be dealt with as other offensive matter. A by-law was therefore drafted and
forwarded to the several sanitary authorities. This by-law limited the exemption of horse dung
manure from the requirements of the by-law to " manure consisting only of horse dung with a
suitable proportion of straw." It was further proposed to extend the hours during which offensive
matter might be removed. The by-law at present in force is as follows—
Every person who shall remove or carry by road or water in or through London any fæcal or
offensive or noxious matter or liquid, whether such matter or liquid shall be in course of removal or
carriage from within or without or through London, shall not remove or carry such matter or
liquid in or through London except between the hours of 4 o'clock and 10 o'clock in the forenoon
during the months of March, April, May, June, July, August, September, and October, and
except between the hours of 6 o'clock in the forenoon and 12 o'clock at noon during the months
of November, December, January, and February. Such person shall use a suitable covering so as to
prevent the escape of any such matter or liquid therefrom, and so prevent any nuisance arising
therefrom.
Provided that this by-law shall not apply to the carriage of horse dung manure.
The by-law as proposed was as follows—
1. Every person who shall remove or carry, or cause to be removed or carried, by road or water
in or through London any fæcal or offensive or noxious matter or liquid, whether such matter or
liquid shall be in course of removal or carriage from within or without or through London, shall use
or cause to be used therefor a suitable carriage or vessel, properly constructed and furnished with a
sufficient covering so as to prevent the escape of any matter or liquid therefrom, and so as to
prevent any nuisance arising therefrom.
Such person shall not remove or carry, or cause to be removed or carried, such matter or liquid
by road in or through London, except during the following periods, viz.—
Between 5 o'clock a.m. and 10 o'clock a.m., or during the period commencing two hours before
sunset and ending one hour after sunset, in any day during the months of March, April, May, June,
July, August, September, and October.
Between 6 o'clock a.m. and 11 o'clock a.m., or during the period commencing two hours before
sunset and ending one hour after sunset, in any day during the months of November, December,
January, and February.
This by-law shall not apply to any person removing or carrying manure consisting only of horse
dung with a sufficient proportion of straw to render it inoffensive, and shall not apply to any person
removing or carrying in a suitable carriage or vessel, as aforesaid, manure consisting of horse dung
and litter other than straw.
This by-law was made by the Council on the 24th July, 1900.
Application was made to the Local Government Board for confirmation of the by-law, but
in the meantime the Board had received a letter from a firm acting on behalf of soap makers,
tallow melters, and bone boilers in London objecting to the proposed by-law. The Local Government
Board invited the observations of the Council on this letter.
The Public Health Committee subsequently received a deputation from the firms referred
to These firms desired that the by-law should be amended so as to exempt from its requirements
the systematic clearing of and the collection of fat and bones from butchers' shops and shops
of marine, store dealers, and they objected to the curtailing of the winter morning hours of collection.
They stated, moreover, that the proposed additional three hours, viz., two hours before and
one hour after sunset, was of no practical value to them. The Council subsequently, on the recommendation
of the Public Health Committee, proposed to adhere to the hours in the existing
by-law, and to amend the by-law so as to bring within its provisions offensive manure. This
proposal is now before the borough councils.
The need of an organised system for the removal by the sanitary authorities of offensive
trade refuse has been from time to time under consideration. Such system is established in
Woolwich, and in 1898 the Poplar District Board instituted an inquiry as to whether fishmongers,