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alterations involved a considerable amount of trouble and expense,
and gave rise to much dissatisfaction, which was increased by the
fact that the whole of the parish supplied by this Company was
called upon simultaneously to make provision, and not by districts,
as was the case with the East London District. The Company
required proper stop and draw cocks to be inserted, but allowed the
old pipes to remain at the risk of the owners and occupiers. The
result was that in a great many cases the increased and constant
pressure burst the pipes, or made manifest former leakages, and
much inconvenience and damage was caused by the escape of the
waters into the soil and premises. Much trouble and money had to
be expended to remedy these defects, but at the same time a serious
state of things, perhaps little suspected, was removed, for there can
be no doubt that these hidden leakages under the intermittent
system, saturated the soil under and around many dwellings and
premises, rendering the basements damp and unwholesome, and even
unfit for many business premises. A striking case in point came
under my notice very recently. Two tradesmen had an influx of
water into their basements where valuable and easily damaged goods
were stored. The quantity increased and they were put to much
trouble and expense to discover and remove the cause. New drains
were put in, old ones removed, and an unsuccessful search for the
cause was made. It was at length discovered to be a defective
waterpipe some thirty yards distant, under a house which for a long
time past had been unaccountably damp. I have reason to believe
that similar instances are very numerous. The constant supply now
given by the New River Company is, I believe, working very
satisfactorily; but any further information from a sanitary
point of view will doubtless be found in the Medical Officer's
report.
NEW PAVING LOANS.
During the year 18G6-7 the Vestry resolved to pave the
following roads and streets with granite cubes:—Pearson Street,
Weymouth Terrace, Harman Street, Canal Boad, Goldsmith's Row
(part of), Table Square (part of), Whitmore road, and to relay
Wilson Street (part of), a portion of which is in the Parish of