§ MR. J. G. TALBOTasked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether his attention has been called to the exhalations which often proceed from the ventilators of the sewers in the roadway of the streets of London, some being in the immediate neighbourhood of the Houses of Parliament; whether he will call upon the local authority to mitigate this evil, especially during the summer and autumn months; and, whether he will cause inquiry to be made as to the possibility of carrying such ventilation above the street level by means of shafts, so as to avoid poisoning the air to the danger of foot passengers and the inhabitants generally?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKE, in reply, said, that it was the duty of the local authority, generally speaking, to attend to the ventilation of sewers, and in London that authority was the Vestries and District Boards; but the sewers themselves were under the control of the Metropolitan Board of Works. With regard to the other inquiry as to the formation of ventilating shafts, the matter had been repeatedly considered by the authorities; but scientific opinions were rather opposed to the scheme. There was a great danger lest, in altering the system of ordinary traps, sewer gas should escape into dwelling-houses, and so cause a more serious danger than that which now existed. Under these circumstances, no system of shaft ventilation had yet been devised.
§ MR. J. G. TALBOTHas the attention of the Local Government Board been directed to the experiments with ventilating shafts at Ryde, Isle of Wight? I understand the authorities there are much in favour of it.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEI will make inquiries into the subject.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREDoes the right hon. Gentleman say that scientists are opposed to the system of pipes running 718 above the heights of the houses that is adopted in a great many houses?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKENo; but I am not aware that the system of shafts is recommended for the ventilation of sewers.