HH62/2/LANARK/39

Transcription

[Page] 38

but sparsely populated, and devoted mainly to grazing. The
water from the hill sides is not, therefore, liable to specific
contamination, and is more than ample, as a rule, for the
needs of the people. There are, however, one or two
localities - such as the mining villages of Law, Haywood,
and Wilsontown, and also the village of Carstairs - where
the water supply has been from time to time defective.
The Committee have taken steps, at an estimated cost of
£3,200, to provide Law with a suitable water supply - that
part of Carluke Parish having been constituted a Special
Drainage and Water Supply District.
The Caledonian Railway Company have also been called
upon to improve the water supply to their workmen's
houses at Carstairs.
Carluke and Douglas have been constituted Special
Drainage and Water Supply Districts; Lesmahagow, a
Special Drainage District; and Crawford, a Special Water
District.

Scavenging. - There are comparatively few populous
places in the Upper Ward; still there are villages, like Hay-
wood, Tarbrax, Lesmahagow, Carluke, and others, where a
proper system of cleansing and scavenging might with ad-
vantage be instituted. It ought to be in the power of these
localities to constitute special cleansing districts, where the
inhabitants of such a district would be assessed for the
expenses incident to the cleansing and scavenging of their
streets, yards, and ashpits. While, in the other wards of the
county, it might not appear so much of an injustice to rate
every one for scavenging purposes, it would be manifestly
unfair to make a general rate in the Upper Ward, as there
are many who would derive no benefit from the money
expended in scavenging. In Crawford Parish, for example,
with its area of 65,400 acres, the inhabitants outside the
village of Crawford might reasonably complain if they were
called upon to pay for the cleansing of the village, with its
very limited area.

[Page] 39

Pollution of Rivers. - As regards river pollution, it is
scarcely worth while touching upon the subject, seeing that
a general report on the pollution of the Clyde and its tribu-
taries is being prepared. It is sufficient here to say that, for
nearly the whole of its course through the Upper Ward, the
Clyde and the streams flowing into it are comparatively
pure, and afford good fishing. Near to where it enters the
Middle Ward, coal working becomes, as elsewhere, one of
the chief, if not the chief, cause of pollution. The sewage
discharged bears, as a rule, a small proportion to the
volume of water flowing in the stream.

Special Visits and Reports, either in writing or verbally,
have been made with reference to the following, viz.:-
(1) Nuisance in a field near Railway Station at Lesma-
hagow, caused by the sewage from adjoining cottages, and
which has now been satisfactorily remedied by the con-
struction of a proper drain, and irrigation before sending
into river; (2) outbreak of enteric fever at Haywood, more
particularly with reference to milk supply; (3) outbreak of
scarlet fever at Braehead, with closing of school; (4) occur-
rence of scarlet fever at Kype Water Head Farm traced to
a case which had escaped observation on a neighbouring
farm; (5) Inspection of Douglas Village, with special
reference to deficient privy accommodation and drainage;
(6) outbreak of enteric fever at Carluke, and inspection of
piggeries there.
With regard to the privy accommodation at Douglas,
the chief difficulty in many cases appears to be that the
owners have practically no land on which to build proper
closets, and recourse is had, therefore, to public privies which
are in process of being greatly improved and extended.
The outbreak of enteric fever at Carluke occurred
towards the end of the year chiefly in Heather Row,
Engine Row, Castlehill, and Stewart Street. Some of the
cases, especially those in Stewart Street, were of a virulent
character. The conditions affecting the spread of the