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The following statements are made in annual reports with respect to premises in which
offensive trades are carried on other than that of a slaughterer of cattle. Dr. Dudfield states that
in Kensington nuisance is caused by the business of a fat extractor carried on in Tobin-street,
although complaints have been less frequent since certain works were carried out at these premises
as the result of proceedings by the County Council in 1899. In Islington offensive smells
from a knacker's premises were perceptible at some little distance from the premises; this matter
is receiving the attention of the Public Health Committee of the County Council. In Hackney
13 visits were made to the three offensive trade premises in the borough. In the City it was found
that the business of a fellmonger had been established without the consent of the Corporation; legal
proceedings were instituted, and the business removed in consequence. In Southwark 8 premises
received 67 inspections. In Bermondsey 13 premises were regularly inspected. In Wandsworth
legal proceedings were instituted in two instances, and in the case of one, the business of a fat
melter, concerning which an injunction had been obtained in 1901, prohibiting the business from
being carried on, the premises were demolished. In Deptford there were 52 inspections of five
premises, and legal proceedings instituted concerning one.
In Hampstead, nuisance arising from a bedstead factory was complained of, due to escape
of effluvia from the japanning chambers. As the result of proceedings, shafts and fans were provided
to conduct the fumes through the furnace, and the chimney flue was increased considerably
in height. Improvement was effected, but some nuisance still occurred, and the occupier eventually
decided to remove the factory outside London. Two complaints were received as to nuisance
from ballast burning and in each case the fire was extinguished on service of a notice.
In Lewisham complaints were received of nuisance from the escape of sulphuretted hydrogen
from gasworks. Summonses had been taken out in 1901 for similar nuisances, and the hearing
of the case was reopened. The magistrate declined to convict, but held that the action of the
Borough Council was justified, and that the gas company should pay a substantial amount to the
Borough Council's costs.
Removal of trade refuse.
In very few districts is trade refuse systematically removed by the sanitary authority.
The removal of trade refuse by the Borough Council of Woolwich was still continued during
1902. Dr. Davies states that a sum of £98 5s. 3d. was paid by tradesmen during the year for the
removal of 7,861 receptacles of offensive refuse, of £64 11s. 6d. for the removal of 861 loads, and
of £8 9s. 2d. of 1,015 bushels of inoffensive refuse. These amounts, Dr. Davies says, do not cover
the cost of collection, but much nuisance is obviated, and an attempt to charge more might be unsuccessful.
Dr. Caldwell Smith writes that the Wandsworth Borough Council had extended the
system of removal of offensive trade refuse to the whole borough, and a large number of tradesmen
have taken advantage of it. "A charge of fourpence per tin is made, the tins themselves
being the property of the council. The removal is carried out daily or twice or three times weekly,
as requested. In September last an arrangement was entered into with the contractor to remove
to the destructor at Tooting during the night the fish and butchers' offal collected during the
day, also to cleanse the tins before returning, free of cost, the poulterers' offal being destroyed in
the furnaces. From a sanitary and financial point of view this arrangement has so far worked
satisfactorily." In 1902, 10,338 tins of offensive matter were destroyed in the destructor.
In a number of districts penalties were recovered for breach of the County Council's
by-laws relating to the hours of removal of offensive matter, or to the construction of the carriage
in which it was conveyed; thus such penalties were recovered in Westminster, Poplar, and
Bermondsey in four instances, in Battersea in three instances, in Lambeth in two, and in Wandsworth
in one instance.
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