View report page

65
Cleansing of Streets, Courts and Gullies.
The major part of the work of street cleansing is done during the night, when the whole of the
City is cleansed either by motor brooms, motor water waggons or jet and hose.
The condition of the centres of the carriageways in main thoroughfares during dry weather,
except in market areas, is clean enough to render a nightly washing of the whole surface unnecessary,
and such carriageways are therefore completely washed once a week only. On the other five nights
of the week the channels are washed. In wet weather, however, the whole of the carriageways are
washed every night if necessary.
Certain secondary streets, including those in the vicinity of Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets,
are washed every night, and streets in the vicinity of Smithfield Market three times per week.
Most of the street gullies are emptied as often as required by mechanical means, two machines
being employed for this purpose every night. After the gullies have been emptied, they are re-sealed
with clean water from the machines and the contents of the gullies removed to Lett's Wharf.
Gullies in courts and narrow thoroughfares, which are inaccessible to the machines, are emptied
by hand periodically or flushed fortnightly.
During the year 1934, 66,531 gullies were cleansed and 20,741,000 gallons of water used for cleansing
streets, courts and gullies.
pigeons.
Although complaints of the nuisance and damage caused by the congregation of pigeons
in the City have not been so numerous as in past years, it is still essential that continual
attention should be paid in order that the number of these birds may be kept within reasonable
limits. The practice of feeding adopted by so many visitors to the City, together with
the ideal nesting facilities readily available in the belfries of the several City churches, renders
the problem of adequate reduction difficult.
During the year some three hundred birds have been caught by the expert engaged
by the Corporation and all destroyed under my supervision. Had there been any ringed
birds, which there were not, they would have been forwarded to the Homing Union, in
accordance with the undertaking given when the Act of Parliament under which action is
permitted was placed on the Statute Book.
I should add that every precaution is taken by those responsible to ensure that the
work is not attended by any element of cruelty.
exhumation and re-interment of bodies.
City of London Cemetery.
During the year the bodies of 10 persons buried in the City of London Cemetery, at
Little Ilford, were exhumed and subsequently re-interred in other graves in the same cemetery.
These exhumations were carried out at the request of members of the deceaseds'
families, under special licence issued by the Home Secretary, and one of the conditions
attached thereto is that the work of removal and re-interment shall be supervised by your
Medical Officer of Health. The greatest care is exercised by the Cemetery staff and other
responsible persons to ensure that the operations are carried out with due reverence.
discovery of human remains at
(1) 7, Mitre Street, Aldgate.
(2) 1, Bow Lane.
During the course of alterations in connection with sanitary accommodation at both
of the above-mentioned premises, small quantities of human bones were unearthed. The
remains were very old, and the customary notification to the Coroner and City Police was
made, and they were subsequently decently and reverently re-interred on the sites.
conversion of houses into one room flatlets.
The desirability of local authorities having powers to make byelaws in regard to houses
converted into one-room flatlets has been the subject of consideration during the year.
The principal point of interest to the public health authority is that associated with ventilation
in general, ventilation in regard to gas cooking, the provision of refuse bins, the situation
of sanitary conveniences and facilities for washing up of feeding utensils and proper provision
for food storage. It is felt that the lines of such byelaws should follow the lines of the byelaws
in regard to houses let in lodgings, and although, so far as experience in the City is
concerned in connection with the recent conversion of houses into flatlets, every consideration
has been given to the principles above set out, compulsory powers would ensure that flats
would be initiated on a standard which would be regarded as satisfactory.