steps to force horse and buggy owners to clean up their acts.

The amount of horse droppings in Hamilton caused a stink last summer when city traders, workers and shoppers complained about the foul smell -- made worse by the sun -- and having to dodge piles of the faeces to cross the street.

The matter came to the fore when an American visitor suffered serious road rash when he skidded in fresh horse droppings while riding his moped on Front Street.

The Corporation promised to look into the issue, but noted it had been brought up many times before with horse and carriage owners.

Buggy drivers told The Royal Gazette they were dead against fastening special diapers to their horses' bottoms because they would attract flies and cause a smell. They felt it was the Corporation's job to keep the city streets clean and said it should hire more workers.

Since then, the Corporation has been gathering information on how other islands and US and Canadian cities offering horse and carriage tours were dealing with the problem, secretary Mr. Roger Sherratt said.

Members were also looking into the kinds of horse diapers available and alternatives to them.

He added meetings had been held with the local horse and buggy owners, Government officials and other interested groups.

Mr. Sherratt did not want to comment any further on the meetings until a decision was announced.

"We have almost completed our inquiries and are expecting to make a decision on the issue in a couple of weeks,'' Mr. Sherratt said.

The Corporation would either force horse and buggy owners to use the diapers or announce some other way of solving the problem, he said.

A law has already been drafted making it mandatory for horses to wear diapers while pulling carriages in the city. But it has not been put into effect, Mr.

Sherratt said, because of opposition from the buggy drivers.