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149
The Law and Parliamentary Committee in their report
recommended
"That stringent measures be taken by the Wharves and Plant Committee
to put a stop to the practice on the part of the dustmen of removing
trade refuse for a pecuniary present, a practice which is reported to
prevail extensively, and which is detrimental to the interest of the
Vestry, who are entitled to payment for the service in question."
Subsequently, in a further report, "as to the best means for
carrying out the recommendations" contained in the previous
report, the Committee advised, and your Vestry agreed, that—
"The Wharves and Plant Committee should be requested to make
arrangements for the removal of trade refuse, upon the application
and at the cost of owners or occupiers of houses, etc., and take steps
to put a stop to the illicit removal of such refuse for pecuniary presents
made to the dustmen, a practice alleged to be now common in
this parish."
The Wharves and Plant Committee, having taken the subject
into consideration, made the following recommendation, which
was adopted by your Vestry, at the meeting held October 20th
last, viz.:-
"That the attention of the Inspectors of Nusances and the Dust Foremen
be called to the large amount of trade refuse removed without being
paid for; and that the Inspectors and Foremen be directed to give
the matter special attention, and report to Inspector Gaylard any
and every case coming under their notice, so that payment may be
demanded for removal, of such refuse ; and that the dustmen be
cautioned against the removal of trade refuse without reporting
same to the Foremen."
The carrying out of the above order entailed a large amount
of work on the part of the Sanitary Inspectors, and, for a time
greatly interfered with the discharge of their ordinary and
more important duties. On some days the Inspectors had to
traverse large portions of their extensive districts to call upon
tradesmen whose "refuse" the dustmen had refused to remove;
and to little purpose, seeing that in the majority of instances the
persons waited upon declined to pay for the removal of the refuse.
In exceptional instances, when arrangements for payment had been
made, Inspector Gaylard was taken away from his duties,
which lie in the North-West District, to collect the agreed sums,
quite insignificant in total amount.