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47
The Borough Surveyor of Shoreditch (Mr. J. Rush Dixon) reported in favour of
co-operating with the Lewisham Council in approaching the London County Council
as to repealing the bye-laws, and this report was adopted by the Highways Committee.
The Medical Officer of Health and Chief Sanitary Inspector (vide Appendix) were
of opinion that the repeal of the bye-law would be a retrograde step, and on public
health grounds ought not to be advocated, and their opinion was endorsed by the
Health Committee. A Joint Health and Highways Committee were in favour of supr
porting the Lewisham Borough Council in approaching the London County Council
on the subject of the repeal of the bye-law, and they recommended the Borough
Council accordingly. The Coundil, however, did not adopt the recommendation.
SMOKE NUISANCE.
Some 16 complaints as to the emission of black smoke were received from the
London County Council in respect to 11 premises. There was one complaint from
the Coal Smoke Abatement Society, and two from other sources. In all
cases the complaints were brought under the notice of the parties responsible, and
steps were taken to secure the abatement of the nuisances. In three instances it was
necessary to bring the facts under the notice of the Health Committee with
a view to legal proceedings. Statutory notices under the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, were served upon the responsible persons, but it was not necessary to take the
cases before the magistrate.
VERMINOUS HOUSES.
Under section 20 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1904,
which enables steps being taken to free houses from vermin, some 22 houses more or
less infested by bugs were dealt with during the course of the year, the walls of the
rooms being stripped, stopped, and cleansed. A number of houses were reported as
verminous owling to the verminous condition of children residing in them. In the great
majority of these, however, it was found on investigation that so far as the house and
the rooms therein were concerned, it could not be said that they were infested with vermin;
in fact, a number of them appeared particularly clean. In some of these it was
thought advisable to disinfect clothing and bedding which appeared specially filthy,
but it is of very little use to take measures in respect to the rooms to get rid of vermin
whose natural habitat is the person or clothing.
SLAUGHTERHOUSES.
The slaughterhouses registered in the Borough were at the end of the year 12 in
number, being one less than in 1904, that at No. 35, Hackney Road, ceasing to exist,
the premises having been demolished to make way for the erection of a warehouse.
In several instances the slaughterhouses in the Borough are but little used, and the
amount of slaughtering done is now but small as compared with what was