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138
OFFENSIVE BUSINESSES.
What I shall have to say under this head will serve at once
to illustrate the advantages of bye-laws, which the Common Council
seeks power to frame (vide page 105), and the difficulties with
which the existing sanitary authorities have had to contend for want
of such bye-laws. Your Vestry took steps some years ago to obtain
an extension of powers, by an ineffectual appeal to the Metropolitan
Board of Works; but, as it will appear, the Special
Purposes and Sanitary Committee of that body ultimately saw
reason to modify the views originally expressed, so that their final
opinions came to correspond closely with those I had set out in
my reports, which led to the afore-mentioned appeal to the
Board. With these few remarks, I pass on to observe that
the only business coming under the statutory description
"offensive," other than that of a "slaughterer of cattle," carried
on in this Parish, is that of a "fat-extractor," at Tobin Street,
Notting Dale. It gives rise to more or less effluvium-nuisance at
times, notwithstanding improved arrangements and care on the
part of the proprietor, and regular supervision by the Inspector of
the local authority, i.e., the County Council. But the people
living in that locality are not of a squeamish nature, and seldom
complain.
Marine Stores.—Every year, during the hot weather, complaints
are received in regard to stenches arising in the collection,
storage, etc., of bones, fat, and other animal matters in a putrid
not provide sufficient protection to the various local bodies, but subjects them
to be over-ridden by the London County Council without any provision for
appeal. That whilst no objection is seen to provision being made in the Bill
that where it is duly proved that a local authority shall have neglected to
perform its duty, the County Council shall have power to intervene, it is only
right that this provision should be safe-guarded, and that before the Council
shall be authorised to perform any of the duties thrown upon the local
authorities under this Act, a proper enquiry shall have been conducted in the
district by the Local Government Board." The Committee recommended, and
the Vestry resolved, "that the views above expressed be communicated to the
President of the Local Government Board, and to the members of Parliament
representing the Kensington divisions, with a view to modifications being introduced
in the Bills.'' The Bill passed its third reading, amended, but not
modified in the sense desired by the Vestry.