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Sewers.
A new surface water drain has been laid
from the top of the Surbiton Road near the Railway
Tavern, to an outfall in the River by the
Malt-houses, to relieve the sewers from the excess
of storm water that at times over-taxed their
carrying capacity and was found to cause a
flooding of the basement of certain houses. This
work was done by arrangement with the Kingston
Authority. New sewers were also laid in Etwell
Place and James Street, Alpha Road. Minniedale
is still an undrained area, and the works
reported on in 1896 as likely to be soon completed
are still in abeyance and unsetted.
Scase's Building
Scase's Buildings. At some future date
more or less remote, perhaps, these may be structurally
altered and improved, as far as they are
capable of improvement; but in their present
condition they are an endless source of trouble,
and about the worst feature in the district, badly
planned, dirty and very generally overcrowded.
Mortuary.
The provision of a mortuary and postmortem
room is a very pressing matter, but
obviously one that is difficult to arrange for. It
has been dealt with at length in my reports year
by year and the urgent need has been clearly
demonstrated, and I believe the subject has not
been lost sight of by the sanitary authority. Now
that a new Council Building is about to be erected,
and there is land at disposal, this matter should
again come up for consideration, and if there are
no funds available from the loan account, then I
trust it will be borne in mind when the estimates
are being prepared for the forthcoming year. We
are at present taking our dead for post-mortem
and inquest purposes to Kingston, and this is
altogether out of keeping with our independence
and self-respect, to say nothing of the extreme
inconvenience to all concerned.
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