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The Bye-laws for the Good Rule and Government of West Ham provide
1. An owner of land shall not cause or suffer any such land within two hundred
yards of any street or of any dwelling house to be occupied by any tent dweller,
squatter, gypsy or other person dwelling in a tent or van, or other similar
structure.
2. A tent dweller, squatter or gypsy or other person shall not use as a dwelling
place any tent or van, or other similar structure, placed on any land situated
within two hundred yards of any street or of any dwelling house.
Immediately it is known that caravan dwellers have drawn on to a site the Inspector
visits and takes the names of the occupiers and on return to the office reports the matter
for a summons under the above Bye-laws. This action invariably has the desired effect and
the caravans usually move out of the Borough, but those who do not do so are brought before
the Court arid fined, the maximum being £5. In the case of caravan dwellers, other than
showmen, who remain on a site for more than 42 consecutive days, an additional summons is
applied under Section 269 of the Public Health Act 1936, and the occupiers are liable to a
maximum fine of £5 and to a further fine of £2 for each day on which the offence continues
after conviction therefor.
The question of fencing the Rathbone Street and Vernons Field sites has been
considered and found to be impracticable at the present time. In the case of Rathbone
Street, whilst the Council own several pieces of the land the position will not be
satisfactory until the redevelopment of the immediate neighbourhood has taken place. It
is hoped that this development will commence within the next 3 years. An estimate of the
cost of fencing Vernons Field was found to be prohibitive, for apart from the initial cost
the risk of damage is very great.
Samples of Water from Swimming Baths,
During the summer months 8 samples of water were taken for bacteriological and
chemical examination from the swimming baths in the Borough as follows:-
Beckton Road Lido 2
Romford Road 3
Balaam Street 3
and in all cases the samples were found to be of excellent quality and free from any
harmful bacteria.
The method of purification of the swimming bath water is by the closed circulation
filtration system and it is sterilised by chlorine. Water drawn from the pools is pumped
through the filter and returned to the pools at the shallow ends. Before passing through
the filter the chemical coagulant, sulphate of alumina, is added, which has the effect of
binding the impurities together, and forms the gelatinous bed which is the real filtering
media. On the water leaving the filters, the chlorine sterilising agent is added.
In addition to the samples taken by the Public Health Inspectors, the Baths
Superintendent frequently tests the water to ensure its cleanliness.
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