View report page

99
property, they were more or less in a decayed condition, that the
yards, waterclosets and wash-houses were badly paved, the roofs
defective, the walls and ceilings in several instances dirty, and
that some of the walls were covered with several thicknesses of
paper. The yards at the rear of the houses were only a few
superficial feet in area, but the front gardens were some 40 or
more feet in length, and about 14 feet wide. The approaches to
the houses from the end of the passage, and likewise from
Edmund's Place and Fields Place, were both unpaved and undrained,
but lighted by lamps at each end. He recommended
that the making up and paving of the passages should, if
possible, be carried out by the Vestry, and the cost apportioned
the owners, subject to the opinion of the Solicitor.
The Committee therefore directed notices to be served for
enforcing compliance with their requirements, except as to the
paving of the passage way.
It was subsequently found that the whole of the drainage
was in a very defective condition and required entire reconstruction.
The cost of certain portions of this work fell upon the
Vestry, owing to the decisions which have been given that a
combined system might under certain circumstances be a sewer
for which the Vestry would be responsible. The Vestry upon a
later date adopted the recommendation of the Health Committee
to pave the passage way and to apportion the cost thereof upon
the owners. When this is carried out a much needed improvement
will have been effected and add to the comfort of the
tenants of the houses.
He further reported that at the rear of certain houses in
Latchmere Grove there were very large sheds in which
wood-chopping was carried on, that during the inspection of these
by Miss Thurgood, Sanitary Inspector, she had found both males
and females were employed in the business for whom there was
not separate and sufficient sanitary convenience. Many of the