§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that by the Tender for the removal of Sewage Sludge, page 8, section 13, issued by the London County Council, the contractor is empowered on the authority of the engineer to deposit sewage in places other than the mouth of the Thames, presumably at his discretion, on the Essex Coast; and whether the Local Government Board will permit such action on the part of the London County Council?
§ * THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL, GOVERNMENT BOARD (MR. RITCHIE, Tower Hamlets,) St. George'sI am informed that the London County Council, in advertising for tenders for the removal of sewage sludge, do not contemplate that the sludge shall be discharged into the sea at points nearer to the shore than the places where it has been discharged hitherto from the vessels belonging to the Council. The object of advertising for tenders is, that pending the consideration of the whole question of the disposal of the London sewage, temporary arrangements may be made for the removal of the sludge without the large expense of providing new vessels for the purpose. It was considered necessary to provide in the tender for the discharge of the sludge at such points as the engineer of the Council should indicate: but the places named will be subject to the direction of the Trinity House, and there will be no change in this respect from the course pursued throughout the last six months.