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58
but in the fixing of the trap and its construction to the drain. In
all re.construction work this connection is now and has been for
some years past, carefully watched, and experience shows how
necessary this is.
In the East Ham Improvement Act, 1903, there is a section
especially providing against scamping and shoddy work, and the
workman as well as his employer is held responsible and liable
to punishment for knowingly performing ba 1 work.
This is an advantage, but one regrets that the section does
not give power over bad material as well as bad work, for much
of the material used as drain ventilating pipes, is toually unfit for
this work, as it quickly decays and becomes a nuisance.
COMBINED DRAINS.
Section 19 of the East Ham Improvement Act, 1903, is most
useful, as it defines what is a "drain," and settles as far as East
Ham is concerned, the vexed question of Drain v. Sewer, and in
future two or more houses may be drained by a combined drain
without transforming the drain into an alleged sewer, and saddling
the responsibility of maintenance upon the general body of ratepayers.
As the drainage system of the Borough is on the combined
principle, this new definition is a great advantage.
During the year some 264 houses drained with the combined
system, have had the drains re.constructed under the powers conferred
by this Section of the Act.
In nearly every instance the work of re.construction has been
done by the Council's workmen, under the supervision of the
Sanitary Inspector, and at the owner's expense, amounting to considerably
over £1000.
Prior to the passing of the Act referred to, this burden would
have fallen upon the rates.