View report page

*Excluding inspectors employed in districts mentioned in Schedule (' of the Metropolis Local Management Act.
† Including one temporary inspector (but since the publication of the return the Paddington staff has been
increased by five male and two female inspectors).
‡ Including one vacancy.
§ Including three vacancies.
|| Including seven inspectors, who are concerned only with meat inspection ; if these be omitted, the population
per sanitary inspector is, in 1898, 4,424 ; and in l901, 3,812.
Written Intimations of nuisance were served by the inspectors to the number of 2,088.
As a result of these intimations, many works of sanitary amendment were carried out forthwith,
thus realising the object of the legislature, and obviating the necessity for service of statutory
notices. In the intimation form a red ink note authorises the person liable to abate a nuisance
to make what, for convenience, may be called an "appeal" to the Committee, against
the requirements of the sanitary inspector. Appeal, which is of rare occurrence, usually takes
the form of an application for extension of time for carrying out works.
Statutory Notices for the abatement of nuisances to the number of 779 were issued
during the year, by direction of the Committee; and 1,288 notices were served under the by-laws
for houses let in lodgings.
Supervision of underground sanitary work generally, including the reconstruction and
trapping of drains, is exercised by the Borough Engineer, and information on the subject must
be sought in that officer's report. A considerable number of drains were reconstructed by the
owners or occupiers of houses, without the issue of sanitary notices, on the deposit of plans for
the approval of the Public Health Committee. Particulars on this head also will be found in
the Borough Engineer's report.
Drainage, Etc.—In connection with this subject it may be mentioned that the Royal
Institute of British Architects addressed a communication to the several Borough
Councils asking that the detection only of nuisances arising from sanitary apparatus
or drains should remain in the department of the Medical Officer of Health;
matters relating to the construction, reconstruction, amendment, and repair of
drains and sanitary appliances, and the structural removal of nuisances in connection
therewith, being placed in the department of the Borough Engineer. The Institute was informed
that substantially the course they recommended was carried out in the borough. In nearly every
other borough in the Metropolis this work is entrusted to the Public Health department, save as to
the construction of new drains. The practical universality of the rule cannot be the result of
accident: Kensington is almost the only borough in which the sanitary inspectors are relieved
from this duty. Here, work in connection with underground drainage, etc., is carried out by
a staff—chief and second officer and two assistants—in the Borough Engineer's department.
Were this staff transferred to the Public Health department, and the several officers qualified as
sanitary inspectors, a considerable economy would be effected, as half the salaries would be
repayable to the Council out of monies voted by Parliament.