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relatives. In addition to this, six bodies were removed by my
order, as the dead were kept in a living room, and nine
still-borns were brought in. Twenty post mortems were made
there, instead of being done in private houses, most of which
were unsuitable for the purpose. The number of deaths from
violence was not very large, viz., 8 from drowning, 11 from
accidents, 3 from poison, and 9 were suicides, making a total
of 31.
Underground Dwellings.—The District Surveyors, under the
Metropolis Local Management Act, have reported as usual that
there are no underground dwellings which come under the
provisions of this Act, but there are several which are used as
kitchens or sculleries, or even sitting-rooms, which do not come
under the provisions of these Acts, but which are visited by the
Inspectors of Nuisances, and occasionally by myself, and I
object to these rooms being used even for these purposes, as
they are often dark and the ventilation indifferent, but cannot
close them, as they are not used for sleeping rooms.
Dust Removal.—Year by year the cost of removing the dust
becomes larger, partly in consequence of the increase in the
number of houses, and partly by the increased price paid per load.
The prices of the present contract, 1890, are 2s. 9d. per load of
60 cubic feet for the A Division, viz., Stoke Newington, Stamford
Hill, upper and part of lower Clapton; 2s. 2½d. for the B Division,
which includes the Clapton Park Estate, Homerton and South
Hackney; and 2s. 9d. per load for the C Division, which
includes Shacklewell, Dalston and De Beauvoir Town. Although
the amount is large compared with that formerly paid, yet it is
smaller than the sum paid by some Metropolitan Parishes for
barging the dust away after it has been collected. The total
number of loads of dust removed from the A Division was
12,180, from the B Division 11,924, and from the C Division
12,071, making a total of 36,175 loads, against 33,881 in 1889.
The number removed this year was less than it would have
been if the ground had not been covered with snow during part
of November and the whole of December, so that persons would
not have the dust removed except when it was urgently required.
The total amount paid to the Contractor was £4,650 19s. 9d.;