View report page

61
The Vestry have not had the advantage of sending so much street
refuse by rail as in previous years, and this entailed an outlay of ^48
over last year's expenditure.
The long distance the road sweepings had to be carted to Stratford
caused a considerable increase in the cost of carting, as will be seen by
a comparison of the table.
The cost of scavenging the roads may be said to be about stationary.
The question of the disposal of street refuse must again before long
be a source of great anxiety to the Vestry. The West Ham and Hackney
Marshes appear to be the outlet most advantageous for this district,
and so long as a place on which the refuse can be shot can be found,
no course can be adopted which will be so cheap, but I can see troubles
in this quarter approaching, and I am desirous of securing a place to
last the coming winter.
The time is not far distant when the parishes of London will have to
consider some other means of disposing of their refuse.
I am told that great success attends the use of "destructors" at
Leeds, Manchester, and other places, but I have never seen these in
operation and cannot give an opinion thereon.
HORSE - KEEPING.
During the year the Vestry's horses cost 6s. 3¾d. per day, as compared
with 6s. 5fd. per day for the year 1882.
The horses worked 8678 days for one horse, and cost £2737 17s. 2d.,
of which £404 14s. 7d. was for depreciation and interest of capital,
and £2344 1s. 7d. for keep of horses and establishment charges, there
being a credit of £10 1s. 9d. for dead horses.
In accordance with instructions I allow depreciation on money
expended in works at the rate of 5 per cent., and on the amount
expended in horses and harness, &c., at the rate of 8 per cent.; this, in
1882, amounted to £383 2s. 7d., and in 1883 is increased by £21 12s.,
being in respect of £270, the price paid for 4 horses.
The Vestry did, however, lose in 1882 4 horses, which cost £270, and
in 1883 6 horses, which cost £390.
In the face of these figures, I think the Vestry are not telling themselves
the fact if the accounts continue to be made up, or the basis
which their direction dictates.
It must be clear to anyone that every horse the Vestry purchases,
which costs £60, and is bought at seven years old, must live and work
until he is 19½ years old, and then sell for £1 dead.
The Vestry last year lost by death nearly one-fifth of their entire stud,
or 20 per cent, exclusive of the depreciation on the remainder of the
stock.
My duty is clearly to make up the accounts in the way I am ordered,
but I think after the experience we have now had it is also my duty to
call your attention to the fallacy of so doing.