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51
During the year a gas pressure guage has been placed in
ray office with very satisfactory results, as it indicates the
pressure to have been in excess of that required by Act of
Parliament for the whole year. Indeed, during the time
that gas is ordinarily used in houses and shops, the pressure
is very considerably greater than the required amount, so
that if care be not used in regulating the pressure by a stopcock
on the pipe supplying the meter, an unnecessary
quantity of gas will frequently be burned. As pointed out
in a previous report, the light given off for each cubic foot
of gas burnt, will depend to a very great extent on the kind
of burner employed and the frequency with which it is
changed. The smallest pressure recorded during the year
was 9-tenths of an inch, the required pressure being not less
than 6-tenths of an inch, which is satisfactory. At night,
between dark and 11 o'clock, the pressure was usually above
25-tenths.
The number of requests to remove dust and house refuse
from the houses of the inhabitants, and of complaints of
inattention on the part of the men, were rather more
numerous than usual. These arose from a temporary
inspector being appointed to attend to the duties during the
fatal illness of Mr. Flanders, which lasted for several months.
The number was 2,639, against 2,296 in 1879, which, considering
the extent of the District and the number of houses,
is by no means large; especially as many persons will not
place a D card in their windows, but prefer sending a
request for removal to the office. The total cost was £2,717
5s, 10d., and the number of loads removed was 9,785 in
Mr. Stevens' District, and 10,511 in Mr. Jackson's, making
a total of 20,296 loads. This compares very favourably
with other Metropolitan Districts, as it amounts to only
2s. 8d. per load of 60 cubic feet.
In consequence of complaints having been made to me
respecting offensive emanations from the gullies and ventilating
apertures in Wick Road, and of very unpleasant