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48
3. That a Sanitary Inspector be elected in place of Mr,
Foot at £120 per annum with annual increments of
£10 up to £200 per annum. The increase each year to
be dependent on a recommendation of the Sanitary
Committee.
4. That a Junior Clerk be engaged by the Sanitary
Committee at 15/0 per week.
5. That it be referred to the Committee to advertise
for and select suitable candidates for the election by
the Vestry of a Sanitary Inspector.
6. That it be left for the Committee to determine the
detail as to the books and work in the Sanitary
Office after the Chief Inspector enters on his duties."
The recommendations of the Committee were accepted without a
single dissentient, and Mr. Foot was made Chief of the staff; I feel
sure the new officer will perform the duties of Sanitary Superintendent
very much more efficiently than I could, moreover the duties
appertaining to this office are, in my opinion, more appropriately
performed by a Chief Inspector than by a Medical Officer of Health,
who can scarcely be expected to act as either timekeeper or drain
Inspector, and who as head of his department should be in a position
to deal with matters of Sanitation on a broad basis without being
cramped with details.
The Chief Inspector is required to act "in consultation with and
subject to the direction of the Medical Officer" but in matters of
order and discipline he is supreme and since the end of 1895 I have
ceased to exercise any direct authority over the other members of
the staff.
New rules for the conduct of the officers have been formulated
and issued by the Committee. Mr. Foot has designed a system of
report forms and sanitary notices characterised by great simplicity,
clearness, and directness of purpose; the District Inspectors are no
longer required to write out notices, but simply indicate on their
report forms the number of the appropriate paragraph in the
schedule of requirements. These recommendations are revised by
the Chief Inspector, submitted by him to the Sanitary Committee,