The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-21 00:00:00

CITY COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS.

Yesterday the Commissioners met at Guildhall for the
dispatch of business.
THE SANATORY AFFAIRS OF THE CITY.
Mr. HADLOW, the medical officer of one of the City
Unions, comprising a large extent of the Eastern dis-
trict, appeared before the commission, for the purpose
of complaining of the neglect of a very essential point
connected with the sanitary condition of certain courts
and alleys in the vicinity of Rosemary-lane, and other 1
populous and poor and filthy neighbourhoods. This
gentleman, who has been long actively engaged in the
difficult task of convincing the inhabitants of places in
which disease is generated, of the necessity of cleanli-
ness, stated that in one locality to which it was his duty
to attend, no fewer cases than 90 had recently occurred,
in which fever had been produced by the non-removal
of dust from the public dust-bins, notwithstanding the
peremptory orders of the Commissioners, that the dust
bins in which were accumulated vegetable-decomposed
matter and other injurious and abominable compounds,
should be frequently emptied. Mr. Hadlow ob-
served, that in some instances, five or six weeks
elapsed before the process of emptying had been under-
taken, and in other instances the delay had been
much greater. He had written to the inspector of the
' district, complaining of the continuance of the danger-
ous omission, but he regretted to be obliged to state,
that the remedy, palpable as it was, had been withheld.
He had upon inquiry amongst those inhabitants who
were respectable, and delicate enough to feel the incon-
venience, and considerate enough to be alarmed at the
far spreading effects of the nuisance, that the dustmen
employed by the contractors, very seldom indeed attended
even to diminish the horrible accumulation. He had
not only himself been engaged in the office of inspecting
the public dustbins, but he had been assisted by his son
in performing the duty, although it was a duty with
which he had officially nothing whatever to do.—(Hear,
haar.) He was prepared, for in cases of such emergency
delays were not to be endured, to shew that the charge
of neglect was indisputable.
Mr. HADLOW, Jun„ stated that he had witnessed a
great variety of instances of the grossest neglect upon
the part of the contractors, and specified several cases,
upon reference to the notes he had taken in the course

of his visits.
The MEDICAL OFFICER of HEALTH of the city of
London said that for one case that was reported, one
hundred cases of dangerous neglect occurred. It
might appear to some of the commissioners to be too
great severity to inflict a penalty in every case of
omission upo❑ the part of the contractors ; but the fact
was, that no penalty could be too great for neglect, from
which such frightful consequences might issue. (Hear,
hear.) It was, he regretted to be obliged to say, syste-
matic will' the dustmen to neglect the public dust-bins,
and the private dust bins were also overflowing, not-
withstanding the general apprehension of the approach
of cholera, and his repeated suggestions as to the neces-
sity of enforcing the observance of cleanliness in the
crowded localities of the poor. To the active agency of
Mr. Hadlow, the commissioners were greatly indebted.
(Hear, hear.) There was a difficulty in getting persons,
whose premises, were neglected by the dustmen, to come
forward with complaints, and he apprehended that many
cases terminated in compromises.
Several of the commissioners expressed their sense of
the interposition of Mr. Hadlow, and called upon the
court to summon the inspectors at the instant before
them to ac 3 ,unt for the apparent laxity in the per-
formance of those duties which that gentleman and his
son had so promptly undertaken to add to their own.
Mr HADLOW slid, that having received from the
guardians of the union an intimation that fears were
entertained of the approach of cholera, and having ob-
served the prevalence of fever, he determined to let no
opportunity pass of warding off so dire a calamity.
In all the cases which Mr. Hadlow brought forward,

the contractors accused were fined in the full penalty.
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR said he was sure the contractors
would take a hint from such a determination upon the
part of the Court. Some gentlemen might suppose that
the infliction was severe, but those who fancied so must
consider not only the dangerous nature of the offence,
but the fact that the contractors had a great advantage
in the employment of their men and horses in other

50
25
LOO
St.

ways.
Alderman LAWRENCE called the attention of the City
Medical Officer of Health to the important report which
had recently been made upon the subject of the violent
attacks of fever at Croydon, and the profitable applica-
tion of the suggestions contained in that document to
the parts of the City in which such a disorder might be
prevalent. He particularly adverted to water-closet
negligence.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH said he had, as a
matter of course, made himself acquainted with the de-
tails of the valuable document alluded to, and he would
take occasion to give such directions as he considered it
would be necessary to issue in conformity with all the
additional infor nation he had cillected.
Mr. J. H. HALL said he did not feel satisfied at what
had been stated that morning. The Medical Officer of
Health had declared, that notwithstanding all that he
had from time to time represented, in almost all cases
the dust remained in the public and private bins from
week to week, when they all knew that it ought to be
removed every day. (Hear, hear.) He regretted that
the Commissioners that day were to hear, that at a mo-
ment when the spread of disease was reasonably appre-
hended, the directions they had given had not been
obeyed. The appearance of Mr. Hadlow to make so
serious a complaint, proved that most culpable neglect
existed somewhere ; and, in his opinion, it would be
necessary to give the inspectors such positive instruc-
tions as would ensure their most rigid attention
to the daily operations of the contractors, to state to
them, that in fact suspension should immediately follow
relaxation in the performance of their duties, 3,nd dis-
missal, if the Court should see occasion, follow suspen-
sion. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Deputy PEWTRESS said the necessity of complete
cooperation was evident, from the statements which had
been made. In his ward the inhabitants uniformly re-
fused to listen to the demands of the dustmen, who ob-
tained in other wards fees for removing the dust, and
actually refused to do their duty without the cost of
extortionate recompense If those inhabitants had cause
of complaint it was only necessary to send to the in-
spector of that particular district, and the cause would
be at once removed.
After some further conversation upon the subject, the
inspectors were called in, and the Chairman issued di-
rections to them in conformity with the facts and opi-
nions stated at the meeting.
The MEDICAL OFFICER of HEALTH said it gave him
satisfaction to state that the present rate of mortality
was lower than that which he had last reported to the
court.

BOOKS TO THE GOLD COAST.—GENERAL POST-OFFICE,
Sept., 1853.—0 n and from the Ist October next, printed
books, magazines, reviews, and pamphlets (whether
British, colonial, or foreign) May be transmitted by the
post between the United Kingdom and the colony of the
Gold Coast by packet, via Plymouth, at the following
reduced rates of postage, viz.:—For each packet not
exceeding lb. in weight, 6d. ; do. exceeding A lb, and
not exceeding 1 lb., is. ; do. exceeding 1 lb. and not ex-
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ing 3 lbs., 3s. ; and so on, increasing ls. for every addi-
tional lb. or fraction of a lb. Provided, however, that
the following conditions be carefully observed . lst.
Every such packet must be sent without a cover, or
in a cover open at the ends or sides. 2d. It must con-
tain a single volume only (whether printed book, maga-
zine, review, or pamphlet), the several sheets, or parts
thereof, when there are more than one, being sewed or
bound together. 3d. It must not exceed two feet in
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writing or marks upon the cover or its contents, except
the name and address of the person to whom it may be
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may delay the transmission of any such packet for
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These instructions are not to extend to or interfere with
the transmission of printed votes and proceedings of
Parliament, or of printed papers allowed to pass by the
post, under the newspaper privilege, all of which will
continue subject to the existing regulations.
EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.—Yesterday the sale of
this company's surplus property adjoining the railway
station at Edmonton, including lands and premises, and
consisting of 14 lots, realised 2,480/. The property dis-
posed of at the Auction Mart, and the prices were con-
sidered good.
A COLONY OF SNAKES.--A few days since a baker
at Angouleme, in demolishing an old oven, found nearly
200 live snakes. He also found nearly 400 eggs about
the size of pigeons' eggs, enclosing serpents almost ready
to break the shell,