View report page

62
Washhouse floors repaired 5
Roofs, gutters and rain water pipes repaired 90
Water restored to premises 2
Yards paved or repaired 13
Pigs or other animals 17
Water put on main 8
Washhouse coppers repaired 8
GENERAL REMARKS.
I sincerely hope that the question of housing will soon be seriously taken
up. The defects in some of the old houses are so numerous that they are
practically beyond repair, and must eventually be demolished. Under the
present circumstances, the closure and demolition must unfortunately be
postponed until some suitable accommodation can be provided. There is
very little material available for repairing the existing houses, and the cost
is excessive. Something should be done to control the price of building
material, which, to my mind, is almost as important as the prevention of
food profiteering.
The bye-laws need revising in many ways, and increased powers given
us, such as the keeping of garden fences in repair, amongst others, and
penalties for those wilfully destroying them. Some stated period of time
should be adopted for the cleansing of the interior of houses. The filthy
tenant gets the house done up owing to it becoming a nuisance, while the
clean and respectable tenant, who asks for rooms to be cleansed, even after
10 to 15 years' occupation, is often refused.
The Order confirmed by the Local Government Board on the 9th May,
1912, with respect to offensive trades, will need the consideration of the
Public Health Committee, as the Council in the past, have had little control
over the establishing (until a nuisance existed), of the businesses, among
others, of rag and bone dealers, fish fryers and fish curers, as hitherto these
businesses could be established without application to the Council; now they
must get their written consent. It is imperative that persons should not
carry on the business of a rag and bone dealer in or near a dwelling house.
Fish frying businesses need well ventilated premises, with a large open space
at the rear, well paved and drained for fish washing and the storing of fish
boxes, when necessary, if it is to be carried on without becoming a nuisance
to anyone. Also an up-to-date apparatus for frying so as to effectually
consume all fumes and to carry off all smoke. These remarks also apply to
fish curers as regards premises and the open space at the rear. The smoke
hole should be so situated as not to be near a dwelling house.
One man commenced in the fish business, and I found he had sealed up
the scullery windows, and was using it for fish curing. However this was
soon discontinued.
There were also two troublesome men who opened-up the business of rag
and bone dealers (Miller and Ditkofsky, from Commercial Road, E.). On