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39
SANITARY STAFF.
I need scarcely remind the members of the Vestry that since the
end of 1895 I have ceased to exercise any direct authority over the
District Inspectors. The Chief Inspector is required to control the
Staff "in consultation with, and subject to, the direction of the
Medical Officer of Health" but, as Mr. Foot is responsible to the
Committee for the due performance of the duties of all the sanitary
officials, I have carefully refrained from interference, as I think a
divided responsibility is fatal to good government. On the whole,
the new system has worked admirably, especially since three somewhat
objectional members of the staff have been removed and
replaced by better men. Mr. Foot has not spared himself, working
early and late in the performance of his duties, and the close
attention and supervision he has been able to give has resulted in a
large increase in the number of premises brought under inspection,
as is shewn in table VI.
At the risk of being considered tedious, I must again refer to the
system of reporting and notice serving introduced by Mr. Foot.
When he first suggested that Statutory Notices could be served by
reference to numbered paragraphs printed at the back of the notice
forms, instead of writing out the requirements in extenso, I was
apprehensive that objections would be raised, either by the property
owners, or by the Police Court Magistrates, but the arrangement
has worked without a hitch, and has resulted in an enormous
economy of time. Mr. Foot instructs the Clerks as to the preparation
of every notice, signs it and directs the manner in which it shall
be served, personally taking out every summons and conducting all
proceedings at the Court.
No fewer than 147 summonses under the Public Health Act were
taken out during the year, although this step has never been taken
until every other means to get the notice obeyed has failed. With
some property owners, repeated notices, letters, and personal persuasion
are disregarded, and nothing short of a Magistrate's order
produces any effect. No case has been recommended for legal proceedings
until the premises have been carefully examined by your