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the Contractors, so that there is usually but little difficulty in
getting the work well carried out. The chief difficulty arises
from the shoots, as I will not sanction any which are likely to
be injurious, so that each time a new contract is entered into,
the greater is the difficulty experienced by the Contractors in
procuring shoots. The number of requests to remove the dust
was not large, viz., 1238, especially as it is the custom of many
people to have the dust removed only after they have given
notice here of their desire to have it done. The complaints of
non-removal after a request to have it done, are very few, and
every one was especially enquired into, and in most cases
ascertained to have arisen from some misconception, such as
a request to men who did not remove it from that street.
The number of nuisances abated during the year was very
large, viz., 10,651, including 608 houses which were disinfected,
and exclusive of the accumulations of house refuse removed
after special inspection of the poorer districts, and on complaint.
There were as many as 786 choked or defective drains cleansed,
repaired, or reconstructed; 249 choked watercloset pans released,
and in some instances new pans provided; 89 yards drained and
paved; 1226 premises on which bell traps were removed and
yard gully traps or other suitable and efficient traps provided ;
629 premises in which sinks were disconnected from the drains,
and 241 where the stack-pipes, the heads of which were placed
near to windows, were cut off; making a total of 3255 instances
in which the means of drainage were improved. In addition,
the yard paving was relaid partially or entirely, in 913
premises; new dust-bins were provided or the old bins repaired
in 861 premises. The number of iron bins or large pails
provided amongst these was not so large as could be wished,
because the owners of small property, as a rule, object to them.
In addition, there were 2314 houses repaired, and the dirty
rooms whitewashed or cleansed, and 8 were provided with
additional means of ventilation. The number of premises in
which a water-supply apparatus to the closets was provided,