pulling carriages in the City, Corporation of Hamilton secretary Mr. Roger Sherratt disclosed yesterday.

But he said the Corporation is wary about putting the law into effect because of "total opposition'' to diapers from Bermuda's horse and buggy owners.

Because of the opposition, the Corporation has been looking into alternatives -- and seeing how the diapers are working out in cities where they are mandatory.

Those cities include Nassau, Bahamas, Montreal, Quebec, and New Orleans and New York City, Mr. Sherratt said.

He said the Corporation is also looking into which diapers are the most effective, whether they can be used on two-horse carriages and how and where the contents can be disposed.

One of carriage owners' major complaints about horses wearing diapers is the smell, especially in Bermuda's hot and humid climate, Mr. Sherratt said. The other major complaint is that the horses here are "too highly strung'' to wear diapers, he said.

One alternative suggested is for carriage owners to train their horses to defecate before leaving for Hamilton in the mornings and evenings.

"The Corporation realises that there is a problem, but is not about to impose a solution which may itself cause other problems,'' Mr. Sherratt said. "The Corporation also does not wish to introduce new regulations without first consulting with those persons most affected by the proposed changes and giving them an opportunity to come up with an alternative solution.'' Nevertheless, Mr. Sherratt, just back from a holiday, said the Corporation is "committed to making sure the problem with horse droppings is, at least, reduced''.

Mr. Sherratt said the Corporation is concerned about the problem even though it has received no more than four complaints about horse droppings in the past two years -- which all relate to their "unpleasant smell''.

"From Corporation members' own observations we thought we should look into the problem,'' he said.

He added it is possible the droppings are more of a problem this year because there are more horse and carriages on the road.

Mr. Sherratt refuted several comments made in his absence by the public, horse and carriage drivers and Opposition Sen. Trevor Woolridge.

He said it is not true there is only one employee who sweeps up the droppings.

There are three sweepers on Front Street alone, he said, adding it would be "very expensive'' to hire someone to do the job at night.

Mr. Sherratt said the Corporation has no record of any incident or accident where anyone has been injured as a result of horse droppings. And he said a witness to tourist Mr. Dick Hogle's accident had told him it was not caused by horse droppings.

Commenting on Sen. Woolridge's claim the droppings are a health hazard, he said the Corporation has never received any complaints about the droppings causing health problems.

He added the Corporation was assured by the Department of Tourism that no one has ever made a complaint to it about horse droppings.

And answering Sen. Woolridge's call for Government, the Corporation and carriage owners to sit down and discuss the problem, he said such a meeting has already taken place.

In fact, he said several such meetings had taken place, the last one being on July 19.

He added: "We have had an ordinance drafted by our legal advisors which would already have been implemented had it not been for the fact carriage owners and drivers are totally opposed to the use of diapers and have asked for the matter to be given further consideration.''