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all too readily provide cover for rats and, where there is putrescible
material, a breeding ground for flies. The householder, too, has material
to get rid of, including such things as bedsteads and perambulators.
Having no other simple means of disposing of them, some dump them
in different places in the district. The Public Health Committee has at
various times urged that a more generous interpretation be given to the
term "house refuse" so that all these goods can be removed by the
cleansing service, and so avoid this dumping which is not only an eyesore
but which might encourage the breeding of rats and flies.
Fouling of Footpaths by Dogs. This is a real nuisance in some
parts of the district, more especially in the quieter roads near shopping
centres where the occupants of flats above the shops have dogs. The
Good Rule and Government Byelaw reads: "No person being in charge
of a dog shall allow the dog to foul the foot-way of any street or public
place by depositing its excrement thereon." Occasionally action is taken
against one who offends under this byelaw. To control this nuisance, the
first step should be to make the people aware that this is a punishable
offence. To this end, posters drawing the attention of the public to
prosecutions for these offences have been displayed on the Council's
notice boards. Some residents have suggested that some more prominent
type of notice might be displayed. The General Purposes Committee
considered the means of publicising and enforcing the byelaw. Nothing
further had been done by the end of the year, as the Highways and
Cleansing Committee proposes to make byelaws under Section 15 of the
Road Traffic Act, 1956, for the control of dogs on designated highways.
For action to be taken under the byelaw it would appear it is necessary
to rely on those members of the public who are sufficiently public spirited
to be prepared to remonstrate with an offender. There are such people;
and their task should be made that much easier by their being able to
draw the offender's attention to his action being an infringement of the
law. This help could be given by there being notices, exhibited possibly
on the lamposts, especially in those roads where the owners of dogs make
a regular practice of exercising them.
PUBLIC CONVENIENCES
The Council has under consideration proposals for providing a
number of public conveniences in different parts of the district. The one
which had reached the most advanced stage was the proposal for Chapel
Lane, Pinner. This is held up because of the " credit squeeze."
The Minister's approval is being sought for the appropriation of a
small parcel of land inside the grounds of the former isolation hospital
at Honeypot Lane for a convenience at Queensbury. The Council also
approved the scheme for the erection of a convenience at Woodridings
Close, Hatch End. The Minister of Housing and Local Governmen
approved the appropriation of certain housing land in Kenton Lane for
a convenience in Belmont. Proposals were considered for the erection of
conveniences in Kenton and at Rayners Lane; but it was decided that no
further action be taken at present relating to that proposed for Clamp
Hill.