§ MR. G. C. T. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether his attention has been called to the filthy condition of the River Brent after it receives the sewage water from the sewage farm at Ealing, Middlesex; whether he is aware that this stream runs close to the large district schools with some thousand children, and through the densely populated district of Brentford; and, whether he will cause a local inquiry to be made with a view of putting a stop to the serious danger to the health of the neighbourhood from this polluted stream?
§ MR. CHAPLINThe attention of the Local Government Board was directed last year to the condition of this river, and the Board, after obtaining a report from one of their inspectors on the subject, communicated with the Thames 510 Conservancy Board and the County Council, urging that action should be taken with the view of preventing the continuance of pollution of the river. In consequence of the reference in the question to the Ealing district, I have made inquiry of the Council of that district, and am informed that there is no source of pollution within their district, and that, with the view of preventing pollution of the river by others, they have determined to take steps to obtain an injunction. With respect to the Willesden District Council, the effluent from whose works was regarded by the Thames Conservancy as unsatisfactory, the Local Government Board have now before them an application from the Council for sanction to a loan for the improvement of their works of sewerage and sewage disposal. Powers of instituting proceedings for preventing pollutions are vested in the Thames Conservancy and the County Council, and I will again communicate with these authorities.