View report page

10
that the need for improvement in this direction might be borne in mind when the question of renewal
of licences was next under consideration.
Sewer Emanations—St. John's Wood.—From time to time for a great many years, and particularly
during spells of dry weather, complaints have been received from residents in the St. John's Wood
district of offensive smells coming from the street ventilators of the London County Council's
sewers which pass under this area. In 1929, and again in 1934, for example, large numbers of
complaints were made and the attention of the London County Council was drawn to the nuisance.
Since that time the complaints have persisted in greater or lesser degree, and during the first two months
of 1949 numerous complaints were received in the Department by letter or telephone from persons
residing in Finchley Road, Wellington Road, St. John's Wood Road and adjacent thoroughfares.
These complaints, after substantiation by the sanitary inspector, were referred to the Borough
Engineer who took the matter up with the Chief Engineer of the London County Council. In view of
the long-standing nature of this widespread nuisance, a formal communication was addressed by the
Borough Council to the London County Council pointing out once more the existence of a serious
nuisance in the Borough and pressing for remedial measures of a permanent character to be
undertaken.
Water.—Although water for domestic purposes is obtained from private wells at a small number of
blocks of flats and offices, the chief source of a constant supply throughout the Borough is from the
mains of the Metropolitan Water Board. One complaint as to quality was received during the year
and this was referred to the Board. In accordance with the provisions of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1936, the Board notified five instances where water had been cut off in occupied premises for nonpayment
of rates or for the use of irregular fittings. In all cases the supply was reinstated, in some
instances after service of a notice.
Further examinations of the private well waters from the ten borings still in use were made by the
Public Analyst and the Council's Bacteriologist and these indicated that chemically there was no
appreciable change since a report was submitted in 1947. No pathogenic contamination was found
and reports generally were very satisfactory.
Drainage.—The number of plans approved was 320, of which 18 related to new buildings. The
drainage inspectors made a total of 3,089 visits.
Combined Drainage.—Nine orders under seal for combined drainage were issued.
Sealing-off Disused House Drains.—The London County Council considered the desirability of
sealing-off all disused house drains and repairing faulty drains, which, by providing safe nesting places
for rats, tend seriously to nullify disinfestation work carried out by the County Council in its sewers,
and also cause obstruction to the flow in the sewers by soil and gravel entering through the broken
drains. The County Council offered to co-operate with the Borough Council by advising them from
time to time of any connections which appear to be faulty or disused and by allowing the Borough
Council's representatives to examine any of the County Council's sewers where connections are
defective or are thought to be disused.
Under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, the Borough Council have the power, where any drain
appears to be in bad order and condition or to require cleansing, alteration, repair or filling up, to
execute the necessary works and to recover the expenses from the owner or occupier of the premises.
As wider powers in this connection are available to extra-metropolitan authorities under the Public
Health Act, 1936, whereby costs and administrative expenses can be secured as a charge on the land
affected, the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee requested the London County Council
to include provision in a General Powers Bill to secure the application to London of powers of recovery
of expenses similar to those contained in the Public Health Act, 1936.
Building Licences.—During the year 237 applications for building licences were passed to the
Department by the Borough Engineer for observations in relation to proposals concerning drainage,
ventilation and underground rooms, and also in cases where work had been called for by sanitary
notices.
Public Conveniences.—The usual supervision was exercised over the 15 public sanitary conveniences
(11 for men, 4 for women). Extensive repairs were carried out at Barrett Street Convenience which was
damaged by enemy action during the war.
As from the 2nd May, 1949, linen towels and tablet soap, for which a charge had been made,
were completely withdrawn from all public conveniences, and free washing facilities, with paper
towels and liquid soap, provided instead to encourage personal hygiene in the interests of the public
health and to prevent the spread of disease. At the same time, the words "Now wash your hands,