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scheduled by the Board since the passing of that Act. That
point was settled in the case, Passey (Appellant) v. Oxford Local
Board (Respondents), in which Lord Chief Justice Cockburn
and Mr. Justice Lopes decided that the business of "bone and
rag merchant" is an "offensive trade," of the same nature with
those specified in Section 112 of the Public Health Act, 1875,
which is based upon, and substantially corresponds with, the 3rd
Section of the Slaughter Houses (Metropolis) Act, 1874.
The only businesses having the statutory description of
"offensive," other than that of a slaughterer of cattle, carried
on in this parish, are those of Tallow Melter and Fat Extractor.
Tallow Melting.—Tucker's Factory, in the High Street,
is the only one in Kensington, and it must be confessed that the
efforts of the proprietor to prevent effluvium nuisance have not
been altogether successful, as complaints were made from time to
time last year by inhabitants in the vicinity. The complaints
were referred to the Metropolitan Board, the local authority in
regard to offensive businesses. The Board, in its Annual Report,
states that "the improvement in the manner of conducting the
businesses" (of soap boilers and tallow melters) "has been continued
during the past year, and it has not been necessary to
take proceedings for the enforcement of the bye-laws in any case,"
a statement which I suspect would be traversed by many persons
residing in Kensington Square.
Fat Extracting.—Two businesses are carried on in Tobin
Street, Notting Dale. They give rise, more or less, to effluvium
nuisance, notwithstanding improved arrangements and care on the
part of the proprietors. But the people living thereabouts are not
of a particularly squeamish character, and they rarely complain.
The Metropolitan Board, referring to this trade and that of a
fat melter, reports that "these businesses have been generally
well conducted during the year."
PRIVATE MEWS.
A question having arisen last year as to your Vestry's
powers in regard to the surface of so-called private mews,