1898.] on Bringing Water to Birmingham from Wales. 695 



ladies' days, but into the particulars of their prejudices I have not 

 ventured to inquire. 



To keep out infectious diseases there is also a " doss house " on 

 the opposite side of the river to the village, where men tramping in 

 search of work are taken in. On admission they are made to have a 

 warm bath and their clothes are disinfected, and for a week they sleep 

 here, working with others, and are under the supervision of the doctor, 

 before being allowed to take up their quarters in the village. These 

 arrangements have hitherto been successful, and whilst two years 

 ago small-pox was epidemic in many parts of South Wales, and 

 especially on some large public works, we escaped. 



In the rest of this description of the village, I am quoting from a 

 lecture, delivered in Birmingham on several occasions with great 

 success, by Mr. E. A. Lees, the highly esteemed Secretary of the 

 Water Committee. 



" The village is on the opposite side of the river to the road, 

 and access is given to it by a suspension bridge constructed across 

 the river by the Corporation. The position of the village, in that it 

 has to be approached by this bridge, and that it is erected on private 

 ground to which there is no public right of way, is fortunate, in that 

 the Corporation thereby have the means of exercising a beneficent 

 supervision which would be impossible were it, in the ordinary sense 

 of the word, a public place. Nor is the supervision of the Corpora- 

 tion merely nominal. No strangers are allowed in the village without 

 permission. Every tradesman who wishes to deliver goods is re- 

 quired to furnish himself with a pass, on which somewhat stringent 

 regulations are laid down. For instance, the owner undertakes he 

 will not deliver any intoxicating drinks within the village ; and the 

 Sunday quiet and rest of the inhabitants are protected by a regulation 

 that, with the exception of milk, no goods shall be delivered or sold 

 on that day ; and these regulations are not a dead letter, for at the end 

 of the bridge on the village side a gate is situate, at which the bridge- 

 keeper is constantly in attendance, and examines the contents of every 

 cart before it is allowed to proceed. 



" Fire hydrants are fixed on the water mains throughout, fire ex- 

 tinguishing apjiliances are provided at convenient points, and in the 

 middle of the village there is a small fire station surmounted by a 

 fire bell. This is the rendezvous of the fire brigade, some members 

 of whom are on duty every evening. The village is perambulated 

 throughout the night by two watchmen. All of the huts are more- 

 over inspected weekly by the village superintendent, with a view 

 to the removal of all refuse, and the prevention of the use of oil 

 lamps of dangerous type, and other articles likely to occasion an 

 outbreak of fire. 



" The village day school is placed under the Education Depart- 

 ment, the school managers being the Chairman of the Water Com- 

 mittee with three officials, two of whom are resident at the works and 

 one in Birmingham. The buildings are certified by the Department 



2 z 2 



