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46
and report of Messrs. Cubitt Nichols and Shirley Murphy
that the offer of Dr. Bate to attend at the Vestry Hall
daily for the purpose of receiving the reports of the
Inspectors and advising thereon was accepted by the Vestry
as an "experiment." Since that year the Medical Officer
of Health has exercised and continues to exercise a partial
and qualified control over the Sanitary Inspectors, but
there is no understanding, direction, bye-law or resolution
of the Vestry giving him any authority over the remaining
thirteen members of the staff, and he states that he has
never in any way considered himself responsible for these
officials.
The manner in which the duties are at present performed is
the following:—
The five Inspectors report daily to, and take their instructions
from, the Medical Officer (save and except
all matters connected with the administration of the
Food and Drugs Acts).
Mr. Lapworth acts as Cashier.
Mr. Foot is responsible for the Mortuary, Mr. Weston
for the Disinfector, and Mr. Lapworth, Mr. Weston
and Mr. Foot, supervise the Pail Men. But there is
no one person responsible for the whole of the staff.
It is only just to the Inspectors to state that the Medical
Officer reports invariable cheerful compliance on their part
with his suggestions, and that it is merely inability to cope
with the mass of work requiring attention under present
conditions that precludes systematic house-to-house inspection.
The Committee consider that a re-adjustment and concentration
of the duties of the staff under a principal
officer would effect great saving in the time of the Inspectors,
both as regards Police Court Work and the supervision of
Drainage Works in course of construction, and they think
that the direction of such a large staff demands a closer
attention and check than the weekly meetings of the Committee
afford.