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64
with open joints, thus favouring the collection of offensive matters.
By the same bye-law, all drain openings are required to be
covered with a fixed grating, the bars of which shall not be more
than three-eighths of an inch apart. The Committee find this rule
to be obeyed in every instance; but Mr. Hughes, a member of the
Committee, considers this not to be sufficient, and advises that a
second grating, the bars of which shall be one-eighth of an inch
apart, should be placed about six inches below the top grating so as
to intercept anything passing through the larger openings.
Another plan proposed is to leave all drain openings as at
present, but to lead the pipes to an intercepting chamber having
an opening near the top leading to the sewer and protected by fine
gauze. In this chamber all offensive matters would subside, and
could be periodically removed, the clear portion only flowing
away through the openings protected by the gauze.
The Committee are of opinion that if these alterations in the
drainage are carried out, the floors of the factories covered with
concrete or asphalte, and the doors and air valves made tight and
efficient, and kept so, a great mitigation of the nuisance will
result. They accordingly recommend that Messrs. Link be
required to carry out these requirements to the satisfaction of the
Surveyor and Medical Officer. This was done and the work is in
hand.
PUBLIC MORTUARY.
This building has been thoroughly cleansed, repaired, and
painted. The ventilation of the post-mortem room has been much
improved by the insertion in the outer walls of four of Hayward's
vertical inlet tubes, and now leaves little to be desired. The
failure of the old ventilating arrangements was due to the small
size and faulty position of the air inlets, which were placed at the
floor level, where they caused great inconvenience from draught
without doing much good.
The number of bodies temporarily placed in the mortuary
chambers was eighty-seven.