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filter beds, consent to drain into tbe sewer, which has been newly
laid in this region by one of the Authorities referred to above
(viiz., Leyton) having been refused.
The Sewers draining the main portion of the district (fivesixths
of the whole area) converge by means of specially constructed
intercepting Sewers to the Corporation Pumping Station,
situated near the middle of the Western border of the Borough.
Here the sewerage is pumped into the London Northern Outfall
Sewer which crosses the Borough obliquely, \Vhence it gravitates
to the London Outfall at Barking.
CLOSET ACCOMMODATION.
Seal Wharf is an area of about 50 acres, which is converted
into an island by the back waters of the River Lea. It is entirely
given over to factories of varying size. This piece of land is so
peculiarly placed that an elaborate and costly system of sewerage
would have to be laid down to effectively carry the sewage either
under or over the river. There are closets of the pail type on the
site. The lessee of the land is directly responsible for keeping
these in a sanitary and efficient state. The Sanitary Inspector for
the district inspects this area at very frequent intervals to see that
no nuisance arises.
SCAVENGING.
The collection of House Refuse, previously the responsibility
of the Public Health Department, was transferred to the Borough
Engineer's Department, In order that it should be more closely
correlated with the cleansing of the streets and highways, and with
a view to the early adoption of an up-to-date method of collection,
viz., the Pagefield System. This System has now been put into
operation to a limited extent and will probably be extended.
REFUSE DISPOSAL.
There seems recently to have sprung up a kind of rivalry
between different Lo;al Authorities as to which can obtain the most
profit or money out of their refuse. This seems a dangerous attitude.
The primary and only reason for the collection and disposal
of house refuse is, or should be, to maintain the health of the
Community. It is, of course, laudable if money can be made out
of the refuse without giving rise to any menace to the Public
Health, but that this can be done is very doubtful unless an eminently
suitable site is found on which to instal the necessary plant.
The so-called refuse disposal plant does not dispose of the refuse, it
simply screens, sifts, and separates the profitable component elements,
which still remain to be disposed of by various methods.
The methods of some of the recent plants for dealing
with refuse are not striking examples of modern
hygiene. This statement can be readily understood when
it is mentioned that a part of some of these plants consists
of a revolving belt which is.exposed and travels slowly along
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