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28
HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES ACT, 1890.
Jerusalem Gardens.—It was my duty in 1894, to make a
representation to the Local Authority under Part II. of this Act.
respecting a series of back to back houses called Jerusalem Gardens.
These were situated on the eastern side of Mare Street, and were
approached from there by a narrow passage opposite the Town Hall.
For some years these cattages were a source of anxiety and trouble
to the Sanitary Authority, frequently falling out of repair and
presenting a dilapidated appearance.
Back to back cottages have been proved to be a very unhealthy
class of building, and with respect to minor ailments, Jerusalem
Gardens undoubtedly sustained the bad reputation of its class:
but to what extent the inmates suffered from living in this class of
house it is almost impossible to state. Firstly, with the exception
of a few families, the occupants of these cottages were frequently
changing; secondly, the number of occupants were comparatively
few; so that any mortality rates calculated from them would be
misleading. Below is given a table showing the number of deaths
during the last ten years in the cottages, and also the number of
infectious cases notified there during the same time.