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7
coming from the Broom Hall Estate, where the river has been
let in by means of a cutting. I inspected the premises and found
that a barge load of burned corn coming from Rotherhithe was
deposited on the land. As soon as fermentation of the corn set
in a very offensive odour was emitted. The owner of the land
received notice to remove it and such order was complied with.
In June complaints were received about bad smells in the
same road, arising from the premises of Normansfield. I inspected
the premises and found that the soap-water used in the laundry
was collected in a tank where it was mixed with sulphate of iron,
and afterwards pumped on the land. No bad smell was detected
and nothing injurious to health could be found. In July the
complaints were repeated and a second inspection was made with
a view to ascertain whether the bad smells arose from the drainage
of the house near the Kingston Road. I was accompanied
by the Surveyor and Inspector of Nuisances. It was found that the
sewage of this large establishment was received in a tank of large
dimensions where it was thoroughlv disinfected. A second tank
receives the overflow, and from this tank the sewage is pumped on
and dispersed over a large area of vegetable garden and orchard,
where it is covered with earth. The system, which has been in
existence for more than 20 years, is a perfectly sound one and no
nuisance can arise, especially as the spot is far removed from
neighbouring houses and roads.
Another complaint was made by an inhabitant of Broom
Road of offensive smells emitted from a deposit of house-refuse
from the contents of the dust-carts in a field abutting on the
Broom Road. A summons was taken out against the Board and
heard before the Bench on November 14th. The magistrates
decided that the deposit in question constituted a nuisance and
the Board was ordered to prevent a recurrence.
Bad smells were also observed in the same road coming from
a man-hole. This was sealed up.
All these various bad smells did not affect the health of the
inhabitants, as during the whole year out of 63 infectious cases
notified only one case of very mild diarrhoea was reported from
this part of the district, which includes the area between the
east side of Kingston Road and the river and in which the large
establishment of Normansfield and a boarding school containing
about 40 children is situated.
In October two inspections were made of Blay's premises
in Stanley Road, where pigs and poultry were kept in a dirty
condition. Verbal notice was given to cleanse the premises. A
sample of well-water was taken from the pump and analysed.
It was found largely contaminated with organic matter, and a
notice was served to close the well and to lay on the water from
the water company's main. This order was complied with.