HH62/1/M-LOTH/11

Transcription

[Page] 10

Dwelling-
houses
throughout
County: To
insure
establishment
of Healthy
Houses,
provisions to
regulate
occupation of
newly erected
Dwellings a
desideratum;
present Public
Health Act
gives no such
powers.

do in their construction, and a large number in
all the Districts are in a more or less insanitary
state. The "Housing of the Working Classes
Act" is to be brought into operation in the case
of a block of houses at Corstorphine. I have
reported upon these houses to the SUBURBAN
DISTRICT Committee, expressing my opinion that
it is impossible to make them sanitary, and that
they ought in fact to be pulled down and built
anew. I would in this connection, remark that of
the many necessary legislative enactments wanted,
one is that which would give to Local Authorities
powers to frame Bye-Laws for regulating the
occupation of all newly erected buildings. By
such means healthy dwellings would gradually be
established.

Special
Investigations

I have made one special and exhaustive examin-
ation during my six months on duty, namely, that
of an inquiry into the Pollutions of the River
Almond. This was done at the instance of the
Committees of the two DISTRICTS interested - Calder
and Suburban, - who, in conjuction with the
Local Authorities of West Lothian and Lanark,
requested a report to be made. In September
I issued the Report, which was as follows:-
(The annexed Plan is reduced from the Original in
the Report.)

The Pollutions
of the River
Almond, and
how they may
be prevented.

"At the request of the Counties of Edinburgh and
Linlithgow, I have this summer examined the Sources
of Pollution of the River Almond, with the view of
suggesting means of remedy.

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The river flows through three Counties. In my
investigation in part of the County of Lanark I was
accompanied by Colonel Menzies of Viewfield; Dr.
McLintock, Medical Officer; and by Mr. Dobson,
Sanitary Inspector. In West Lothian and Mid-Lothian
I was assisted by a report by Mr. Frew, Sanitary
Inspector for the County of Linlithgow, and by
information furnished by the constabulary, through
the kindness of Colonel Borthwick. In Mid-Lothian,
Mr. Lindsay, Sanitary Inspector, visited along with
me most of the places involved in the inquiry.
I have, at the outset, to state that there may be a
number of minor pollutions which have escaped my
notice, and perhaps a few of some importance, but I
have investigated all those I could hear of which
materially contributed to the impurities in the river.
I may here add that I experienced a little difficulty
at some works, from having to search out sources of
pollution which I believe existed, but were denied
by those in charge. It is thus possible that the total
pollutions from several works are understated.
The River Almond has its origin in the Parish of
Shotts, Mid Ward of Lanarkshire. Formed by the
junction of two small streams, at a point about a
quarter of a mile east of Batten, the river has but a
very short course in that county - not more than two
miles, or three miles if Hassockrig Burn is included.
Its length through Linlithgowshire and Mid-Lothian
down to the sea, following the windings of the stream,
is, roughly, twenty-eight miles. Eight of these lie
wholly within Linlithgowshire, and twenty form the
boundary between the two counties.
The total length of the river from the junction of
its two sources is thus about thirty miles. From the
junction of its two sources to its exit point at the sea,