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21
raise their moral and social status. Such improvements are
sadly wanted in your Inner Wards, and will in time, I think,
be effected by careful and systematic inspection, and the
enforcing judiciously of the stringent powers now vested in
you by virtue of the Public Health and other Acts, including
the numerous important Bye-laws (more especially those
relating to houses let in lodgings).
Before leaving this part of the Report, I trust I may be
allowed to congratulate the Vestry upon having decided to
appoint, and upon having actually appointed on June 27th,
1895, a Medical Officer of Health to devote his whole time
and attention to the duties of his Office. Such an appointment
was needed in a large Parish like Lambeth (the
second largest in London), for the work in connection with
the Sanitary or Health Department is becoming yearly
more and more important, now that London possesses such
a stringent Public Health Act with the numerous bye-laws
connected therewith. The Public, too, are becoming more
and more alive to what is due to them sanitarily, and therefore
more and more exacting in that respect; whilst the
"workers" are beginning to demand better conditions of
life, not only when at work but also when at home.
Such demands will have to be met by the Vestry, with
the result that the lives of the people will be happier,
brighter and longer—the average duration of life increased
and the mean age at death extended.
This is something to be accomplished, and, when accomplished,
to be proud of; and I feel sure that all trouble and
expense will be more than compensated by the appreciation
which will be received from the ratepayers and the public
at large. With a sufficient staff of competent Inspectors,
with a Committee and Vestry at all times willing to assist
and support their Officers, I am sanguine that much will be
accomplished in future for Lambeth, and that your Parish
will come to be in the foremost rank of sanitation; and that
even the (to my mind somewhat unjust) aspersions that
have recently been cast upon Lambeth will be forgotten.