View report page

inspections numbered 6,324, as compared with 6,904 in 1895,
while the inspections arising from complaints amounted to
5,107, as compared with 2,883 in 1895. The figures for the
two years, however, are not comparable on account of the new
rule of inspecting all houses where infectious disease has
broken out; this would, in itself, be accountable for about
2,000 additional primary inspections, which are neither
included in the house-to-house inspections nor in those arising
from complaints. There were 1,413 inspections and re-inspections
of new buildings, as compared with 965 in 1895, but as I
have previously pointed out, however, these figures do not give
a proper estimate of the work actually entailed by the inspection
of new buildings. I would remark that there is a
gratifying decrease in the number of complaints received, those
in 1895 amounted to 1769, while in the past year they have
fallen to 1,240. The other figures do not call for any detailed
comment, with the exception of the work done in connection
with houses let in lodgings or occupied by members of more
than one family, and to which I have referred in my remarks
on the Hollington Street area. As there pointed out we are
able to enforce certain regulations as to cleansing, &c., by means
of these By-laws, if the houses in question are registered, without
actually proving the existence of a nuisance. In the By-laws
made by the Vestry the sum of five shillings per week is fixed
as the maximum rent for the purpose of application of these
By-laws and the registration of the houses. This has now
got to be well-known, and directly the registration form is sent
in to be filled up the rent is raised sixpence, which thus puts
the house on a different footing. I am strongly of opinion that
an increase should be made in this limit, and to prevent the
Act being used for other purposes than were intended, I
would call attention to the fact that all these houses are
reported to the Vestry in each instance before registration
becomes valid, and it is there open to any member to prevent the
application of the Act on houses that he may think do not
come within its meaning. Until this maximum is raised a
large number of houses which should be registered will
escape.
Table XII. C shows the work of the inspectors classified
under the headings of the means by which the different defects