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28
control of the Engineer. Domestic and trade refuse is collected
weekly in horse-drawn two-wheeled vehicles, and deposited on
low-lying land.
During the early part of the year tipping took place
directly into stagnant water, some few feet in depth. This
practice has now ceased, tipping at present taking place into
meadow land adjoining the Cemetery, near the junction of
Ripple Road and Upney Lane.
Cleansing experts are agreed that the dumping of crude
refuse cannot be justified on any grounds, sanitary or otherwise,
such a method only "perpetuating and concentrating those
evils which would arise from the storage of refuse at the
home." Various constituents are present in refuse which can
be economically used, and in my opinion any change in the
present method of refuse disposal should be along those lines.
Many, if not most, Sanitary Authorities, now approach this
question with a view to putting down plant to obtain from their
refuse all usable material, and apply it in a suitable and economical
way rather than destroy it. Were the 5 cwts. of refuse
which is produced per head each year treated by methods more
favoured by present-da)' sanitarians, much could be salvaged and
sold, and I think the Council would be wise in looking ahead
for a site suitable for the erection in the near future of refuse
disposal plant, prior to the more extended development of their
district taking place.
As to whether present refuse collection by two-wheeled
vehicles is an economic problem, no definite opinion, in the
absence of data, can be expressed. To draw any satisfactory
conclusions, records of work done are essential, while the
weighing of all refuse would provide a valuable index as to
loading-time and travelling-time required. The ratio between
loading-time, travelling-time and maintenance, would then
provide the factor of economy for deciding the haulage system
to be adopted.
With the dump at its present site, considerable time must
obviously be wasted in travelling. There is now little difference
of opinion, 1 think, in that four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicles