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34
this nature, and much inconvenience resulted to the poorer inhabitants
from inability to put their cooking utensils to their proper use;
moreover, these temporary receptacles were often kept in most improper
positions, under beds and in corners of living rooms, where
the contents were certain to become fouled.
It has been officially stated that during the whole of the water
famine, the average quantity pumped into the district was over
thirty gallons per head per diem; and with economy this should
have been ample, twelve gallons a day per head is sufficient, and this
estimate allows for a daily sponge bath and share of laundry, etc. A
weekly hot bath would account for another five gallons a day, manufacturing
purposes take up perhaps another five gallons, and an allowance
for street watering would raise the total to something under
twenty-five gallons a day for each inhabitant. This is considerably less
than the quantity the Company assert they have pumped into the
district. If their statements are correct, and I have no reason to
doubt them, there must be an enormous leakage somewhere, and I am
afraid our own people are responsible for a good deal of it. Constantly
when I visit premises in the course of my duties as Medical Officer of
Health, I find the water tap in the back yard running to waste,
frequently the fittings are faulty, but more often than not, people
are too lazy to turn off the tap after drawing water, and leave it
running either full bore or only half turned off. Thousands of tons
of water are thus thrown away without any good result, except that
of assisting to keep the sewers flushed. I am of opinion that the
Water Company is much to blame for not instituting an efficient
system of inspection which should have for its object the checking
of this frightful waste, and the punishment of careless consumers.
By direction of the Local Government Board, an inquiry was held
at the Hackney Town Hall in the early part of October by Colonel
Ducat and Dr. Barry. Many witnesses were examined, and amongst
others your Surveyor, Medical Officer, and Sanitary Inspectors gave
evidence before the Commission. As an outcome of the inquiry an
elaborate report was presented to the President of the Local
Government Board, of which it is only necessary to reproduce here
the concluding paragraphs:—