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The house refuse collected contained a quantity of saleable waste which was
sorted at the Council's Wharf and disposed of to various contractors. The prices
obtained during the whole of the year ending 31st December, 1919, were :—
£ s. d.
Bottles, 1,944 gross, 3 doz...1 1117 7 2
Glass, 37 tons, 4 cwt.
Scrap Iron and Tin, 246 tons, 2 cwt. 621 8 0
Old Rags, 81 tons, 19 cwt. 444 12 6
Waste Paper, 237 tons, 15 cwt. 804 17 3
Bones, 18 tons, 12 cwt. 138 9 6
Total £3,126 14 5
The number of complaints and requests for remoyal of house refuse dealt with
is indicated in the following table, and covers the period during which the work has
been done by the Highways Department.
North District. South District.
Year. Complaints. Requests. Complaints. Requests.
1917 221 12 179 25
1918 82 27 84 34
1919 399 169 638 186
During the years the removal and disposal were carried out under contract,
close supervision was exercised over the work of the contractors by the Public
Health Committee, and to a considerable extent, the arrangements then existing
were continued after the Highways Committee undertook the duty. The reports of
the inspectors charged with this work and the complaints and requests received were
considered by the Dust Sub-Committee of the Public Health Committee, at their
meetings, reports thereon being made to the Public Health Committee.
So far as the arrangements existing in houses, business premises, etc., are
concerned; it may be noted that the movable, covered metal dustbin is most commonly
found. Old brick receptacles are quite rare, the number demolished during the year
being 1. New metal dust receptacles to the number of 559 were provided.
During the year the inspectors made 3,431 visits. The majority of these were
made by Inspector Hill who gives part time to this work.
For neglect of the provisions with regard to the covering of dust bins, etc., 383
notices were served. Remedies in each case were carried out, legal proceedings not
being necessary in any case.
SANITARY INSPECTION OF THE DISTRICT.
Staff.—During the year there were on the staff of the Public Health Department,
in addition to the medical officer of health, a deputy medical officer of health
(Dr. Prior), two drainage inspectors, one outdoor superintendent, one meat and food
inspector, one house-to-house inspector, five district inspectors, six women sanitary
inspectors and health visitors, one chief and four assistant clerks and an office youth.
The keeper of the public mortuary, the matron and the one female and two
male members of the staff of the shelter and baths, the two disinfectors, the men and
women attendants at the underground conveniences, and the men employed in
flushing the overground conveniences, are also attached to the department and
immediately responsible to the Public Health Committee.
At the outbreak of war a considerable number of the members of the outdoor staff
were called up as well as several from the office itself, viz.:—One of the women
inspectors, Miss N. C. Stokes (Reserve of Nurses), awarded The Royal Red
Cross, 1st Class; Mr. C. H. Scowen, one of the assistant clerks, who was in
the 9th Middlesex Regt. (T.F.), and after having been given commissioned rank,
was killed ; and Mr. W. J. Howe, who joined the 2nd London Sanitary Company,
R.A.M.C. (T.F.).