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your Inspectors. Information therefore is readily afforded them, and by this means
nuisances have been brought under their notice which would otherwise have escaped
observation.
It may be proper to remark, that the house-to-house visitation has not been
confined to the poor localise. No distinction has been made between the houses
occupied by the rich, and by the poor ; and the advantage of that plan is shown, not
only by its tending to disarm opposition and remove jealousy, but by its enabling the
Inspectors to discover nuisances in some of the most respectable bouses, where they
were least expected to exist.
For instance, in Great Prescott-street, Goodman's-fields, it was found that cesspools
were attached to 22 of the houses, although a large sewer runs along the centre
of the street. 22 of the houses were without dust bins; 20 without water supply
to the privies, and in 8 instances where water had been laid on to privies, the
water supply apparatus was defective.
Complaints of landlords against the water companies are very general. For
example, Dr. Helsham, who has recently incurred considerable expense in improving
his property in Parson's-court, Blue Anchor-yard, by complying with the provisions
of the Act of Parliament relating to the supply of water to the privies, informs me by
letter, that after he had erected water butts and provided pipes, taps, &c. for the purpose
of flushing the soil-pans, the New River Company refused to supply the water,
unless the privies are provided with "some complicated machinery of a bell-pull
character quite unsuited to the fists of Irish labourers."
The object of the Water Company in making it "imperative that every pipe by
which water is drawn from any cistern or other receptacle for the use of any closet,
soil-pan, or privy, be furnished with some properly constructed self-closing stop
cock or valve," is, to prevent a "waste of water." But how any quantity of water
can be wasted in the poor localities, it is difficult to imagine, when the water is turned
on once a day only, for a period varying from 20 minutes to half-an-hour; in which
time the butts or tanks have to be filled for the use of the. inhabitants. The Water
Companies, so far from assisting the municipal authorities in carrying out sanitary
improvements, are by such proceedings the greatest obstacles in the way. They are,
moreover, armed with very considerable powers. For instance, "Any person acting
under their authority, is empowered between the hours of nine of the clock in the
forenoon and four in the afternoon, to enter any dwelling house or premises supplied
by the Company, in order to examine if there be any waste of water; and if such
person shall at any time be refused admittance into such dwelling house or premises,
for the purpose aforesaid, the Company may forthwith withdraw the supply from
such house or other premises." Again, "Every person supplied by the Company,
is required to provide a proper cistern and ball cock, and to keep the same in such
repair as shall effectually prevent a waste of water. From any person neglecting to
do so, the Company are empowered to withdraw supply; and such person shall forfeit
to the Company for every such offence, a sum not exceeding five pounds."
Before concluding this report, I wish to draw the attention of the Board to the
necessity of erecting urinals in the district. It is of the utmost importance to the
public health that such conveniences should exist. In order therefore to make them
of the greatest possible utility, they should be erected in the most public and accessible
places, and not in retired spots, under gate-ways and bye-places. The centres
of broad thoroughfares are the best localities for urinals, where, if properly constructed,
they will not be an annoyance to any person.