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156
A good many dressmakers' workshops in South Kensington
were visited, in the early part of 1893, by the Sanitary
Inspector, who reported that these establishments were
so numerous that it would take up much of his time to
keep them under such supervision as the Acts require, and, I
would add, as in the interests of a numerous and somewhat
helpless class of people, they should receive. It was, of
course, my duty to see that complaints received from H.M.
Superintending Inspector were duly attended to, and it had
been my practice to pay immediate attention to complaints
(mostly anonymous) received from suppositious work-women.
The Sanitary Inspectors, moreover, were instructed to inspect
workshops, &c., occasionally, as the exigencies of their more
customary work might allow. But feeling all this to be insufficient,
and having regard to your Vestry's statutory obligations
as set out in the Acts, and to the somewhat delicate
nature of the work, I suggested in my sixth report for 1893, the
desirability of employing Women Inspectors. This suggestion
was well received,and subsequently, upon the recommendation
of the Sanitary Committee, your Vestry almost unanimously
resolved to appoint two Women Inspectors. In due course
two competent ladies were found to undertake the work, and
they were authorised to authenticate by their signature such
notices as the Sanitary Committee should direct to be issued
under the provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891,
and alsoto serve written intimations of nuisances in conformity
with the requirements of the third section of the same Act.
The new departure aroused considerable interest in sanitary
circles not confined to the Metropolis. The appointments
were made in the first instance for a period of six months, at
the conclusion of which period, viz., 25th April in the current
year, I submitted a report setting out the results of the
experiment as follows :—