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provided for the use of males; the women inspectors, especially Miss Pepler, supervising
those provided for females. During the year one free water-closet was made
available at certain of the men's conveniences.
PUBLIC CLEANSING.
Refuse collection and disposal and street cleansing are under the jurisdiction of
the Cleansing Committee and the scheme is administered by the Cleansing Superintendent
(Mr. Stanley G. Martin, M.J.Inst.C.E., M.R.San.I., A.M.Inst.P.C.).
Refuse Collection.
All premises in the Borough receive at least a twice-weekly collection, although
a great proportion are visited daily, including over 60 streets scheduled for " kerb "
collection during statutory hours.
During the year 79 intimation notices and 12 statutory notices were served by
the Sanitary Authority in respect of defective bins. All were complied with.
The "container" system for business premises, hotels, etc., introduced in 1925,
has extended yearly and over 230 containers are now in use. These are purchased
by the owners or occupiers concerned, and are collected daily by specially designed
vehicles and emptied, cleansed and disinfected before return. Immediately plans
of new buildings in the Borough are deposited, the architects concerned are urged to
introduce containers in suitable cases.
The fleet of vehicles used for normal collections consists of totally enclosed
inside-loading petrol-driven lorries with steps fitted to facilitate entry.
Street Cleansing.
The "beat" system, with each sweeper responsible for a definite section, is in
operation for both day and night gangs, who are provided with pneumatic-tyred
orderly barrows with two galvanised bins, fitted with lids, for the reception of
sweepings, which are collected periodically at pre-arranged points by specially
designed side-loading and covered collecting lorries.
Gully cleansing is carried out by means of three entirely enclosed mechanicallyoperated
gully machines.
Disposal.
All house and trade refuse, street sweepings and gully slop are conveyed to the
Council's Wharf and discharged into contractors' boats at the canal side for disposal.
Statistics.
The tonnages dealt with during 1939 were:—
House and trade refuse 43,690 tons.
Street sweepings and gulley slop 6,650 „
A sum of approximately £972 was obtained from the sale of by-products (ashes,
breeze, wastepaper, rags, metals and tins).
In addition, approximately £1,076 was received for the removal of trade refuse,
green and fish offal and for the cleansing of petrol interceptors.
Offensive Refuse.
Owing to the number of hotels, boarding houses, restaurants, and large private
establishments in the borough, considerable quantities of food refuse (hogwash)
are collected by pig-feeders daily, and close watch is necessary in order to ensure
that the requirements of the bye-laws relating to removal of offensive refuse, as to
hours of removal, provision of proper receptacles, etc., are complied with. During
the year a number of warnings with regard to these matters were issued.
SANITARY INSPECTION.
Complaints.
The total number of complaints received was 1,387, as against 2,291 in 1938.
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
workers of various organisations, occupiers of premises, neighbours and others