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41
PUBLIC SANITARY CONVENIENCES.
The usual supervision was exercised over the public conveniences during the
year, Inspector Hill, the outdoor superintendent, visiting those provided for the
use of males; the women inspectors, especially Miss Pepler, supervising those
provided for females.
Reports and comparative statements as to receipts for the use of the public
conveniences were regularly submitted to and considered by the Public Health
Committee.
All Night Opening at Oxford Circus.
The Council arranged for the Oxford Circus Men's and Women's Conveniences
to be kept open throughout the whole of the day and night for twelve months commencing
on the 1st November, 1937. The question as to whether or not all night
opening should be continued was reviewed towards the end of the year, and the
Council decided that these Conveniences should remain open nightly until 2 a.m.
for a further experimental period of one year.
London Passenger Transport Board.
Under an arrangement with the Transport Board, certain classes of their employees
who use the accommodation provided at the public conveniences are given
receipts on payment of the normal charges, in order that they may be reimbursed
by the Board.
PUBLIC CLEANSING.
The collection and disposal of house refuse in the Borough is under the jurisdiction
of the Highways Committee and the scheme is administered by the Borough
Engineer (Mr. James Gair) to whom I am indebted for the following information.
Refuse Collection.
All premises in the Borough receive at least a twice-weekly collection, but over
a great portion of the Borough a daily collection is made. In certain thoroughfares,
more particularly in those streets in which refuse collection vehicles are prohibited
by the Ministry of Transport during certain hours, collection is carried out from the
kerb within stated hours, the bins being placed by the occupiers ready for collection
by the Council's vehicles. This entails concentration of a large number of collecting
vehicles in certain parts of the Borough in the early hours of the day.
During the year 111 intimation notices and 5 statutory notices were served by
the Sanitary Authority in respect of defective bins; approved type metal dustbins
were provided at 114 premises; while 913 visits were made by Inspector Hill, who
gives part-time to this work.
An important part of the collection system is the use of the "container" in
large business premises, blocks of flats, hotels, etc. This system was first introduced
at the end of 1925, when containers were purchased by several of the large business
houses in Oxford Street and other main thoroughfares in the Borough. By the end
of 1936, 16 containers were in use. The system has since that date made steady
progress and has been adopted by the owners or builders of most of the newer large
blocks of flats, restaurants, etc. There are now 220 containers in use: they are
purchased by the owners or occupiers of the premises concerned, and are collected
daily by specially designed vehicles, removed to the Council's wharf, and there
emptied, cleansed, and disinfected before return. This arrangement has proved to be
more hygienic, quicker, less noisy in working and altogether more satisfactory than the
use of a number of small bins. In this connection approach has been made to the
Royal Institute of British Architects to obtain their co-operation with a view to
attention being given to the problem of refuse storage and collection, by members
of the Institute when planning and designing new buildings. Immediately plans
of buildings to be erected in the Borough are deposited, representations are made
to the architects regarding incorporation of the refuse container system, and considerable
progress has been achieved in this direction.