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45
With regard to the report of the Departmental Committee
upon the uses of the intercepting trap—a report which
covers many pages—the question of its retention or abolition
is left in the hands of individual Local Authorities.
It is obvious that local conditions vary in the different
districts. My experience during the past four years in
Barnet has been that the trap works well, the number of cases
in which it has been found choked being exceedingly few.
The town being situated on a hill, the gradients are everywhere
good, and with proper care in the fixing of the trap
there is practically no danger. On the other hand, unless the
sewers in the district are modern and self cleansing there
would be a distinct danger to health by the ventilation of
these sewers through the private systems, and as we know
the sewerage system in Barnet to be old, the necessity of
retaining the trap exists, thus preventing deleterious gases
finding vent round the dwelling houses.
EXAMINATION OF DRAINAGE OF SCHOOLS.
Permission was obtained from the School Managers to
examine the drainage of the Elementary Schools in the
district.
This work was carried out during the summer holidays.
As was to be expected, after the extensive repairs
executed last year, very few defects were found, and these
were immediately rectified.
CESSPOOLS, EARTH AND PAIL CLOSETS.
The policy carried out during the past few years of connecting
up premises in outlying parts of the District with new
sewers laid has had the effect of abolishing a number of
cesspools and earth closets.
There are a few cottages in the District where it is not
possible to drain into the sewer. In these cases the Council
undertake the cleansing of the earth closets.
FACTORY AND WORKSHOP ACT, 1901.
WORKSHOPS.
No notice of any new workshop has been received during
the year from the Home Office.
The total number of Workshops upon the register is 55,
being a decrease of two on the previous year.