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But as the report in question states, and as your Medical Officer has always
. pointed out, the trouble is not due so much to the sewage recently discharged
as to that which has been discharged for some time. Therefore, the report as
it stands must be considered as a perfectly fair and reasonable one, requiring
only a note as to the cold and wet weather during August.
CANAL BOATS ACTS, 1877 and 1884.
Herewith I beg to submit a few notes on the administration of the
Canal Boats Acts, 1877 and 1884, within the limits of the Port of London,
for the year 1890.
No change has been made in the arrangements for inspection.
The Port is divided into certain sections, to each of which an inspector
makes a daily visit, and takes under his notice such boats as are thus met
with in his daily round.
As a general rule it has been found that the provisions of the Act are
carried out in their entirety, and the violations thereof are not only few in
number, but of a comparatively trifling character, such as non-production of
certificate (when boat in order), want of painting, &c.
In these minor cases the master of the boat is verbally cautioned at the
time, and subsequently a letter is sent to the owner, calling attention to the
default, and warning him of the consequence of repetition.
Since September a new system has been adopted, which has scarcely yet
had sufficient working to prove its value. A book is kept at the office,
having a form of complaint in duplicate, and a certificate to be signed by an
inspector when the cause of complaint has been remedied. One copy of the
plaint with the blank certificate attached is duly filled-up and sent to the
owner of the boat. On the face of this plaint it is stated that the defect must
be at once remedied, and a certificate that this has been done, signed by the
proper authority, returned to the office. A certain time, generally 14 days,
is stated on the form, and failure to return within that time will be
considered as sufficient reason for taking proceedings if the offence be of such
a nature as to call for the same.
In the appendix attached hereto it will be seen that 557 boats have been
inspected during the 12 months, or about 100 less than during the last year.
As the arrangements for inspection have not in any wise been altered, this
can only mean that a smaller number of canal boats have passed through the
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