HH62/1/M-LOTH/5

Transcription

[Page] 4

Public Health
Act does not
contain Pro-
visions of a
character to
satisfactorily
deal with want
of proper
Water Supply
to single
houses in
Rural Districts.

A few of the houses in the County are practi-
cally without any water supply. The means of
enforcing it are too weak, for Section 89, sub-
section 2, of the Public Health Act is found in
practice to be insufficient. In England, Local
Authorities can enforce it, if the expense of intro-
duction to the owner does not exceed a specified
amount, or at any cost considered a reasonable
one by the Local Government Board - the central
authority. (Section 62, Public Health Act, 1875.)

General
Sanitary
condition,
Drainage, and
Scavenging;
Adequate
Improvements
retarded by
the many
Defects in the
Public Health
Act.

The general Sanitary Condition and the Drain-
age and Scavenging of many places can be greatly
improved. But the defects in the Public Health
Act are so many that nothing short of a new Act
will suffice, if Local Authorities are to keep the
County in the Sanitary Condition it should be in.

Special
Drainage
Districts in
the County.

Some places in the County have 'Special
Drainage Districts.' In the SUBURBAN DISTRICT
there are Corstorphine, Liberton, Gilmerton, Juniper
Green, and Duddington. The latter was formed
during the year. The formation of Davidson's
Mains as a 'Special District' is now contemplated.
In CALDER DISTRICT, there is the West Calder
'Drainage District.' Its sewage goes directly to
the burn, but arrangements for previous purifica-
tion are now under consideration. In LASSWADE
DISTRICT, there is the Roslin 'Special Drainage
District,' and in GALA, the Gorebridge 'Special
District.' Another Drainage District newly formed
is that of Stow and Killochyett. This appears to
have been a Drainage District twenty years ago,

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but seems to have lapsed long ago, and it may
be said to be now reformed. A Sub-Committee of
Management have been appointed, but having
heard that their proposal to carry the Sewage
into the Gala unpurified would not be approved
of by the District Committee, they asked and
obtained from the District Committee a sum of
£30 for putting existing drains into a better
condition, until a satisfactory and complete drain-
age system can be prepared.
In most of the villages throughout the County
the Drainage is either by rubble drains or open
gutters. Great improvements in the Colinton,
Currie, and St. Cuthbert's Parishes can follow
the completion of the Water of Leith Sewage
Scheme. These improvements will be taken up
and considered then.

Irrigation
System
beginning to
obtain a
footing.

Irrigation, but in an imperfect manner, is
being employed at Liberton and Gilmerton, in
the SUBURBAN DISTRICT; and in North Pumpher-
ston, Woodmuir, Addiewell, and Kirknewton, in
the CALDER DISTRICT. The system can be easily
more effectually carried out in each of these places.

Scavenging -
more Defects
in Public
Health Act;
Power to form
Scavenging}
Districts
needed.

The Scavenging in the most populous places is
done either by the Local Authorities or by the
proprietors of works who own the houses. The
Local Authorities have hitherto found it necessary
to pay for the cleaning of some villages, and it is
possible that in doing so they may be exceeding
their legal powers. To cease doing so would
certainly, in some cases - in the interest of the