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detailed inspection of the refuse disposal arrangements and could not detect
any nuisance there or on the roads leading up to the shoots, but 1 suggested
that certain matters should receive the Council's attention.
Though nothing objectionable appeared to have been used in making
up the roads I thought it required making up with harder material and with
a wider base as the surface was very rough with deep ruts entailing heavy
wear and tear on the horses and carts engaged in the work. I suggested
that all the pap :r and light burnable material should be collected and burned
and that some of the fire bricks and other useful material of which there
was a good quantity about should be made use of to erect a small
incinerator, plans of which I should be pleased to submit to any Committee
appointed to deal with the matter. The Council agreed to my suggestion
and a small incinerator was built at a cost not exceeding £5 including
labour, iron doors, etc., which is capable of consuming 3½-4 loads a day and
this was so satisfactory in working that at the end of the year the Council
agreed to a second, slightly larger incinerator being put up in the same way
as soon as practicable. I further suggested that the man who had until that
time collected the tins for sale again, should be employed at a wage to
collect and sort the refuse, and this the Council agreed to. It was also
agreed to treat the surface of the water which had drained into some of the
pits with paraffin once a fortnight to prevent the breeding of gnats and
flies, etc.
Owing to the shortage of labour on account of the war the Council
decided to restrict collections of house refuse to once a fortnight instead of
weekly as hitherto.
Drainage and Excrement Disposal.—A draft of a Provisional
Order which it was proposed to issue for partially repealing and altering the
Local Acts of the West Kent Main Sewerage Board was submitted to the
Council. After conferring with some of the other Constituent Authorities
the Clerk notified the Local Government Board that this Council had no
observations to make in regard to the Order.
In June I was asked to report to the Council on the condition of the
drainage system at Mill Place. This is an area occupied by about 45 houses
and attention was directed to it some years ago and temporary repairs
undertaken.
It is sloping ground and in a hollow and the drainage is very complicated
and some of the main pipes were old pattern, and many of the
connections were made with clay which has perished leaving practically
open joints.
The whole system requires reconstruction. I am of opinion that
further investigation will show that the re-laying of any special part of it
will be costly and insufficient, and that if a definite improvement is to be
made it is necessary to carry out a new and comprehensive scheme of
drainage.