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45
SCAVENGING, DUST REMOVAL, &c.
The Vestry have had under consideration the desirability
of undertaking the work of dust removal and slopping with
their own staff and plant, instead of under the contract
system. The adoption of such a course would necessarily
involve the purchase of suitable premises, and as Vestries in
the Metropolis do not possess the power exercised by extra
metropolitan Sanitary Authorities of purchasing by compulsion,
failing agreement, property required for public purposes,
the Vestry suggested to the Government that an amendment
of the law placing the Metropolis on an equally favourable
footing with the outside authorities, was desirable. The
Vestry subsequently learned that the Government had been
in communication with the Metropolitan Board of Works on
the subject, and that the latter had decided to introduce a Bill
dealing with the matter in the ensuing session of Parliament.
Under these circumstances the Vestry have deferred going
further into the subject for the present.
Under the system now in vogue, the sweepers are employed
and paid by the Vestry, but the collection and removal of
house dust, street refuse, &c., are done under contract. The
total cost of this work for the past year, as given in the
Accounts, was £6,269 3s .6d., compared with £6,517 8s.
for the previous year.
The following is a statement of the number of loads
reported to have been removed from the parish during the
year :—
Cart Loads.
Wagon Loads.
Dust
3,178
2,558
Slop
694
5,982
The cost of Street. Watering last year was £1,001 5s. 2d.,
or £99 0s, 3d. more than in 1886-7.