§ SIR GEORGE STUCLEYsaid, he wished to ask the Vice President of the Council, Whether his attention has been called to the present system of ventilating the sewers by shafts covered with open iron gratings placed in the centre of narrow and much frequented thoroughfares; and, whether the gases dispersed by means of such gratings could not be carried off in some other way?
§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUSir, there is no smell from well-constructed and well-kept sewers. It is only when a deposit is allowed to collect that noxious gases are given off; if the sewer is well flushed no deposit can take place. If the sewers were not ventilated from the streets they would be ventilated into the houses. That is a fact which is well known to occur. The only way of avoiding the difficulty would be to have shafts carried up the sides of the houses; but as that would interfere with the rights of property, it could not be done without leave from the owners. The whole matter, however, is in the hands of the local authorities, and the central Government have no power whatever to deal with it.