View report page

62
Neglect to comply with Water Closet Bye-laws.—No instance of neglect in this respect has
occurred during the year under review.
Drainage Plans.—In the course of the year 235 plans were submitted with regard to
proposed reconstruction of water-closets or drains in the City. . .
Of these, 192 were approved, 33 revised and approved, and 10 not approved.
/Street Gullies.—The gradual substitution of properly trapped gullies for those formerly
existing has greatly reduced the number of complaints received of offensive smells arising
from these appliances, especially in warm weather. In some cases this nuisance was doubtless
due to want of flushing, but in the majority faulty construction was the cause of the trouble.
The City Engineer has given special attention to this matter for several years past, and
his action in replacing the old pattern gullies with those of a more up-to-date design will,
I hope, eventually lead to a complete abatement of the evil.
Sanitary Defects and Infectious Diseases.—In cases of notification of infectious disease,
the premises involved were inspected with regard to the drainage system, water supply,
ventilation, etc., and of the 88 cases investigated in 1938, defects were found in five instances.
Legal Proceedings.—During the year, 52 notices have been issued by the Sanitary
Committee, and in no case was it found necessary, in consequence of non-compliance therewith,
to refer the matter to the City Solicitor.
The condition of the approaches to Billingsgate Market and the Custom House and
Smithfield Market, as heretofore, required special attention. There has always been a difficulty
in keeping the thoroughfares in the immediate vicinity of these places free from nuisance
caused by the nature of the trade carried on, especially during hot weather.
Defective Conditions to Sewer.—During the year, 12 reports were received from the
City Engineer respecting the condition of connections between the drains of certain City
houses and the public sewer.
Investigations showed that it was necessary to reconstruct all of these connections.
As a result of the inspection of the internal drainage system of these premises, reconstruction
or alteration was found, necessary in five instances.
collection and disposal of refuse and cleansing of streets, courts and gullies.
The following observations are included in this Report by the courtesy of Mr. A. J.
Eager, the Director of Public Cleansing:—
Collection and Disposal of Refuse.
House and Trade Refuse in the principal streets is collected by 9 a.m., and in certain other main
streets by 10 a.m. (from receptacles placed on the kerb), in accordance with the Regulations of the
Ministry of Transport. After 10 a.m. refuse is collected from the interior of premises in the remainder
of the City.
All refuse is conveyed by motor waggons or horse-drawn vans to Lett's Wharf. The Transport
of the Cleansing Department is gradually being mechanised, and it is anticipated that the whole of
the refuse collection will be carried out by motor waggons in the near future. The refuse is tipped
into the contractors' barges at Lett's Wharf. It is there shot into the contractors' barges ; house,
trade and market refuse being taken down the river to Hornchurch, where it is deposited on land
belonging to the Corporation. Manure and contents of street orderly bins are separately barged
where required by the contractors.
At Hornchurch, the refuse is disposed of under the system of controlled tipping, as recommended
by the Ministry of Health—i.e., the crude refuse is sealed off from the air by layers of earth excavated
from the maiden ground of the tip and from other sources.
Fires at the tip occur but seldom, and as a precaution, iron water pipes are laid across the top
of the tip, with joints at intervals to allow the fixing of fire hose.