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128
The desirability of appointing a Committee to undertake
the entire work relating to new streets, was the subject of considerable
discussion. It was found that, during the six years since
1881, the General Purposes Committee had paved 165 streets,
having a total length of 23 miles, and that in addition to these
there were at the date of the Committes's Report 14 streets
under collection, and, from a Special Report of the Surveyor, ifc
was shown that, approximately, there remained still 1,200 acres,
including about 800 acres of the Dulwich College Estate, which
might gradually be utilised for building operations during the
next twenty years. On the whole it appeared to the Committee
that the division of work between the General Purposes Committee
and the Finance Committee was more desirable than
appointing a Committee solely for new streets work.
It appeared to the Committee that the first step to be taken
towards improvement wTas the consolidation of the whole of the
work then performed by two Sub-Committees—the Victoria Road
Depot Committee, and the Park Road Depot Committee—by the
creation of a fourth Standing Committee, to be called the Plant
and Scavenging Committee, which should have the control of all
the men employed in sweeping, watering, and removing dust, and
in the collection, haulage, and disposition of dust and refuse.
One Committee directing its attention to these matters, it was
thought, would be able to deal with the very difficult problem as
to the future disposition of the dust and refuse when it has been
collected. Within the memory of many members of the Vestry
the dust of the Parish of Camberwell realized £1,000 per annum,
and refuse was eagerly sought by builders for various purposes,
and was sometimes sold for the advantage of the ratepayeis.
Now all this is changed, and dust and refuse have to be conveyed
to barges moored by the side of the canal, at a great expense fur
haulage and barging. Both of the Standing Committees have
had the subject frequently under their consideration, and judging
from the experience of other Parishes, and of that of Camberwell,
the day does not seem very far distant when Camberwell will be