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183
your Vestry referred ray Report to the Law and Parliamentary
Committee, with a view to the making of a " Bye-law regulating
the time for the removal of offensive matter through the
streets" under the powers conferred by section 219 of the Kensington
Improvement Act. The question, however, dropped
out of sight, and the bye-laws adopted by your Vestry, in July,
1882, contain no reference to it.
Meanwhile, I had reported to your Vestry on ''the difficulty
experienced in preventing nuisance from accumulations of
offensive matters coming under the general description Refuse,"
a difficulty " common to all parts of the Metropolis, and calling
for legislative interference for its abatement " (Annual Report
for 1880, page 114). And with a view to steps being taken to
obtain legislative enactment, I had brought the subject under
the notice of the Society of Medical Officers of Health (in 1880)
the result being that a Special Committee was appointed to
consider and report :—
" On the best and most convenient ways of dealing with
animal and vegetable trade refuse, e.g., from slaughter-houses,
fishmongers', poulterers', and greengrocers' shops, etc., with a
view to its collection, removal, and ultimate disposal, whether
by utilization or destruction."
Subsequently the reference was enlarged by the inclusion
of house refuse, stable refuse and cowshed refuse.
In due course the Committee, over which I presided, presented
a report, which, after careful consideration, was unanimously
adopted, and will be found in my Annual Report for
1880 (page 114).
With regard to Trade Refuse such as "the refuge of
slaughter-houses and the refuse of the trades of fishmonger,
poulterer, greengrocer, etc." (being of animal or vegetable
origin and liable to decomposition), the Society was of opinion
that " the Nuisance Authority should have power as well as
obligation to collect, remove, and dispose of such refuse, and