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9
During the prolonged drought it happened that inconvenience
was frequently caused through the absence or scarcity of water
throughout that part of the District, which was
Water Supply supplied by one of the Water Companies. The
in the difficulty was enhanced by the fact that whereas
Whitechapel all other Metropolitan Water Companies are
District. compelled to send water up to a height of 60
feet above the pavement level, the Company
to which I refer are by enactment bound to afford a supply up to
only 40 feet.
The effect of this arrangement has been to limit the water
supply to many tenants residing in the upper flats of Model
Dwellings. I was compelled, in one instance, to exert some pressure
upon the owners of a block of buildings, where the tenants had
suffered from the short supply of water: the Owners issued a
summons against the Company, and in the result, the summons
was dismissed Subsequently, a meeting was convened at which
all the Owners of Model Dwellings which were supplied by the
Company, were represented. As the outcome of that meeting,
memorials were forwarded to the London County Council by the
Owners of the Model Dwellings, as well as by some of the Vestries and
Boards, who are interested in the matter. The question is of such
vital importance to the health of the inhabitants, that I hope some
means may be found to avert a repetition of last year's experience.
So far as the general quality of the District water supply is
concerned, the official returns leave little to be desired.
I have generally included in my Report some particulars
concerning Registered Common Lodging-houses, and 1 again do
so. It has been decided by the Home Secretary that so soon as
arrangements can be made, he will transfer the jurisdiction of this
class of Lodging-house from the police to the Local Authorities,
so far as the Sanitary overlooking of them will be concerned. The
police will still retain the right of entry for other purposes. I can
only express a hope that the new plan will be as successful as
the old plan has been.
I have also appended a list of so-called philanthropic shelters
within the District. These are in reality Common Lodging-houses
b 2