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61
The continuous growth of the Borough adds considerably to
this department of sanitary administration.
There have been over 700 houses built, and this means a like
number of calls to be made and refuse collected every week
additional to last year, this being equal to over 35,000 calls.
Four more roller-top vans have been purchased, bringing the
number of these vans to eleven.
They are a great improvement on the old style of carts,
holding considerably more and making the number of journeys
to the shoot less. Being constructed so that only one quarter of
the top cover is open at one time, makes them much more hygienic
and prevents dust and paper blowing about, and the spilling
of refuse on the highway when nearly full, an evil unavoidable by
the old method.
The policy of this Council has been to gradually replace the
old carts by purchasing new vans out of the current Rate, and not
by raising a loan.
The question of locomotion is now being considered as to
which is best for the Borough, whether horses, motor dust vans
and trailers, or light traction engines and dust vans.
There are 27 men and a responsible Foreman who reports to
me daily.
277 Notices have been served on Owners to supply portable
iron dust bins. In 254 cases they were complied with, but in
23 cases the Borough Council did the work of providing them
and recovered the cost.
The following table shows the number of loads of refuse
collected for the past three years. The decrease for 1904 is
accounted for by substituting vans for carts:—