View report page

112
It may be mentioned that a dust-bin properly placed, and used
properly, is not a "nuisance" perse—becomes, indeed, little
more than an inconvenience even when full; and that it is not
fair that dustmen should be exposed to needless risk of health
and to annoyance resulting from misuse of the receptacle. It is a
fair question, indeed, whether those who misuse the dust-bin, and
then complain of your Vestry's "neglect," should not be held
responsible for the creation of a recurring nuisance ?
The subject of house refuse is further dealt with at page 114
in a report thereon by the Society of Medical Officers of Health.
STABLE REFUSE.
For several years I have felt it my duty to draw your Vestry's
attention to the subject of the removal, or rather the wow-removal
of stable refuse. Regulations have been framed and published
enjoining "periodical removal of manure, etc.," by the owners
under the provisions of The Sanitary Act, 1866, which prescribes
a penalty of twenty shillings a day for default. But still the most
frequent cause of complaint by parishioners, and the most frequent
of recurring nuisances, arises from the neglect of this obligation.
Proceedings have been taken occasionally to enforce the regulations,
but with little success, the offenders having usually been
able to satisfy the Magistrates that the duty required of them was
beyond their power to perform. The difficulty not seldom
originates with the coachman who will not give the refuse away,
while the farmer or his carter will not pay for it. At certain
seasons, e.g., hay-making time and harvest, there is a real
difficulty in getting the receptacles cleansed. The refuse nevertheless
has value, if it could only be got to the land without undue
expenditure. The quantity of refuse made in the stables in this
large parish, with its 150 mewses is very great, and of an aggregate
value, probably, more than sufficient to pay for the cost of
collection and removal from London. It is a question whether
vour Vestry should not undertake such collection and removal as
the law allows, "with the sanction of the owner," a sanction
which would be cheerfully given in many instances, and which,
probably, it would not be difficult to obtain in most cases, if it
were understood that the " Regulations" would be enforced.