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214
In connection with the above, 26 new connections have been made with the sewers;
of this number, 9 were connected to the County Council's mains. The cost charged to the
owners for the connections and for the necessary interceptor and inspection chamber under
the footway where no forecourt existed, amounted to £120 l3s. 11d.
Very little difficulty has arisen during the year in getting the drainage regulations
carried out by builders and others when executing the various works, as I think owners of
property are beginning to realise the necessity of having the work done well once for all.
Upon several occasions I have been asked to give a certificate upon the completion of the
work, which request 1 have in every case complied with.
In a number of cases the very vexed question of combined drain v. sewer, owing to the
present unsatisfactory state of the law, has come to the front, but in all instances we have
been able to prove that the pipe in question was not a sewer, and therefore repairable by
the owner.
During the past year the whole of the old drainage notices for Surrey and Kent at the
London County Council offices, extending from March, 1818, to October, 1855, have been
examined, and copies made of those having reference to this parish. They consisted of 16
volumes, numbering in all about 7,300 notices, and copies have been made of 321 of them,
including sketches of the plans attached. The minute books of the Commissioners were
also examined and abstracts taken therefrom. A special assistant, under my direction, was
engaged for this work at a salary of 50/- per week, and it took 21 weeks to complete. He
commenced his duties on the 19th October, 1896, and finished 13th March, 1897, the total
amount paid in salary being £52 10s. These old records will prove exceedingly useful, and
enable us to trace the drainage of houses executed, previous to the constitution of the Vestry,
and under the direction of the Commissioners of Sewers.
Street Watering.
At the commencement of the watering season the pumps were again examined, and
found deficient of water, so that I was compelled to again bring before you the question of
taining a supply of water from the mains belonging to the Kent and Southwark Water
Companies.