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144
importance of the subject, as affecting the health and comfort of
the residents of the Parish, and were very anxious to do all that
lay in their power to bring about an abatement of the nuisance."
With reference to paragraph (c), it may be mentioned that
the Law and Parliamentary Committee consulted your Vestry's
Solicitors, who, after careful consideration of the subject, advised that
"the simplest and practically the only course open to the Vestry,
is to place themselves in communication with the London County
Council, urging upon the Council the necessity of the trade of
brick-making being brought within the scope of the Slaughter
Houses (Metropolis) Act, 1874, which regulates other offensive
businesses in the Metropolis." This course was adopted; and in
October a letter was received from the Clerk to the Council, to
the effect that "the Sanitary and Special Purposes Committee
were dealing with the question of the nuisance from brick-burning
in connection with the general question of bye-laws for the prevention
of nuisances." To this communication a reply was sent, in
which it was urged that, "if the Council were prevented from dealing
effectively with such nuisances under their present powers, they
should early next Session (i.e., 1890) seek to obtain a legislative
enactment, placing the trade of brick-burning within the scope of
the Slaughter Houses (Metropolis) Act, 1874." On the 23rd
January, 1890, a further letter was addressed to the Clerk to the
Council, enquiring "Whether any definite action has been taken
by the Council in the direction" referred to in the communication,
which stated that the Sanitary Committee were "dealing with the
question in connection with the general question of bye-laws for
the prevention of nuisances"? In February, a reply was
received, to the effect that the subject was still under consideration.
It is the fact, however, as I believe, that the Committee have
arrived at a conclusion I announced many years ago, that nothing
effectual can be done without fresh legislation.
In compliance with your Vestry's request, the subject was
brought to the attention of Parliament, Sir Algernon Borthwick
having asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department