summer after the Corporation of Hamilton decided this week to make them mandatory.

"We feel there is no other choice than to introduce diapers to ensure we keep the streets nice and clean,'' Corporation secretary Mr. Roger Sherratt said yesterday in announcing the new law.

The move comes after visitors, a PLP politician and city businesses and workers raised a stink over the droppings last summer and during the 1992 cruise season.

They complained about the foul smell of the droppings and that they were a health hazard.

They had to dodge piles of faeces to cross city streets. It all started when American visitor Mr. Dick Hogle said he suffered serious road rash when he skidded in fresh horse droppings while riding his moped on Front Street one night.

The Corporation promised to look into the problem, but said it had been brought up many times before with the horse and buggy drivers.

Drivers were dead against diapers, believing local horses were too highly strung and the devices would attract flies and cause a smell.

They felt the Corporation should hire more street cleaners to solve the problem.

The Corporation spent last year gathering information on different kinds of horse diapers and how other cities offering scenic horse and carriage rides dealt with the problem.

Meetings were held with the drivers as well. Mr. Sherratt said it was decided to go-ahead with a diaper law.

It had been partially drafted and would take effect on April 1 with the Mayor's approval.

They did not have to be actual diapers, he said, but horses must wear "a device to collect droppings.'' He said a "chute-type'' device would be the likely choice.

The Corporation had intended to pass such an ordinance in time for the last cruise ship season, he said, but backed off in the face of strong opposition from carriage drivers.

Drivers agreed to take action themselves to control the growing and smelly problem, paying a shoveller to clean-up after them. And the Corporation provided the equipment.

However, Mr. Sherratt said: "The situation didn't work out as well as everybody had hoped. There were a number of times during the summer that the system just fell down.'' He added there were continued complaints from businesses in the Par-la-Ville Road and Front Street area where most of the carriages travelled.