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21
Removal and Disposal of House Refuse.
Throughout the year the arrangements in connection with scavenging remained
in the hands of the Highways Committee and under the control of the Highways
Engineer, Mr. James Gair. Considerable improvements have recently been made
in the plant, but as the arrangements are substantially the same as those in vogue
in 1921, and fully described in my report for that period, it is unnecessary to repeat
the information there given. The total amount of refuse collected for the year ended
31st March, 1924, it may be mentioned, was 40,174 tons, as compared with 39,531
tons in the previous year.
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. New metal dust receptacles were provided to 514 premises.
During the year the inspectors made 4,792 visits. The majority of these were
made by Inspectors Hill and Lumley, who give part time to this work.
For neglect of the provisions with regard to the covering of dustbins, etc.,
placed on the footway for collection from the kerb, 130 notices were served. Remedies
in each case were carried out, legal proceedings not being necessary in any instance.
Removal of Offensive Refuse.—Owing to the number of hotels, boarding
houses, restaurants, and large private establishments in the borough, considerable
quantities of food refuse (hog wash) are collected by pig-feeders daily, and close
watch is necessary in order to ensure that the requirements of the by-laws relating
to removal of offensive refuse, as to hours of removal, provision of proper
receptacles, &c., are complied with. During the year though a number of warnings
with regard to these matters were issued, it was only necessary to institute proceedings
in one case in which there was serious neglect. In this instance a fine of
£6 was imposed and the defendant was ordered to pay £2 2s. costs.
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. W. W. Jameson), a tuberculosis officer and assistant medical officer of health for
tuberculosis purposes (Dr. J. Donaldson Saner), two drainage inspectors, one outdoor
superintendent, one meat and food inspector, one house-to-house inspector, six district
inspectors, seven women sanitary inspectors and health visitors, one chief and five
assistant clerks and an office youth, with, in addition, at the Tuberculosis Dispensary,
a sister and a clerk dispenser.
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 caretakers at the dispensary,
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.
Nuisances.—In the following summary some idea of the amount of work
done in relation to nuisances is given. For details of other works carried out by the
inspectors, reference must be made to the sections dealing with housing, food,
infectious diseases, etc.
In regard to nuisances, the first point to note is that the total number of
complaints received was 3,600, as against 3,291 in 1922. The majority of these
complaints were made by the inspectors themselves, though a certain number came
from other members of the Council's staff, from voluntary health workers, etc. In
respect of nuisances, 261 statutory notices were issued, as against 349 in 1922.
Of these notices, 160 related to ordinary nuisances (dirt, dampness, &c.) 46 to
verminous rooms, 12 to drains, 4 to insufficient w.c. accommodation, 4 to water
supply in tenement houses, 34 to insufficient dust bins, etc., and 1 to underground
rooms.