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49
On this question of the pollution of the River Lee, the following
Memorial was presented in June, 1896, to the Chairman and
Members of the Main Drainage Committee of the London County
Council.
MEMORIAL OF THE SANITARY COMMITTEE OF THE
HACKNEY VESTRY.
Adopted by the Vestry 13th May, 1896.
Sheweth—That the serious attention of the Sanitary Committee of the
Hackney Vestry has been directed to the pollution of the River Lee between
the town of Hertford and the Lee Cut; and the said river forms the Eastern
and Northern boundary of the Hackney Marsh Recreation Ground.
That towns further up the river, above the intake of the water supply to
the Water Companies, discharge the sewage of their respective districts into
the River Lee, and that a large quantity of sewage effluent is conveyed to the
river through the ditches and watercourses.
That the attention of Parliament was in 1886 called to the grave condition
of the said river, and a Select Committee was appointed to enquire
into and report thereon, and on 25th February of that year it reported as
follows:—
"Your Committee have examined the numerous witnesses upon the
"matters referred to them, but have not, owing to the dissolution
"of Parliament, sufficient time to fully consider their Report.
"They have, therefore, agreed to report the evidence they have taken
"to the House, and recommend that a Committee be appointed on
"the assembling of the next Parliament, to consider their report on
"the evidence already taken, and, if desirable, to take further
"evidence."
"Your Committee desire to add that a Bill is now passing through
"Parliament by which the diversion from the River Lee of the
"effluent from the Tottenham Sewage Works will be effected; but
"this measure is merely temporary, and will not fully deal with the
"difficulties of the case. Without desiring to prejudge the fuller
"consideration of the question of the purification of the River Lee
"as a whole, your Committee desire to point to the mode in which
"the sewage which formerly polluted the River Thames in its
"passage through London was dealt with by the Metropolitan
"Board of Works, as affording a precedent which ought to be
"considered in connection with the River Lee, and which, if
"ollowed, might be expected to remedy the more flagrant evils
"complained of, at the earliest practicable date.