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8. With regard to the financial considerations, I have
purposely avoided going into this as the details are so admirably
set forth in the Annual Report of Mr. Ashmole, the Borough
Treasurer, but it may be stated that, in consequence of the
steady decrease in the combined drainage works and the improved
disinfecting machinery provided in the new station, at
the end of the Financial Year it will be found that a saving of
close upon will be effected, as compared with the year
when the expenditure for this department reached its highest
point.
So far as mere money is concerned, I should however
like to add that an efficient Public Health service is a good
investment and can be shown to justify itself, not only on the
figures above-mentioned, but upon the last and final fact of the
difference in the death rate of the Borough which, from Dr.
Bate's statistics, we find has been gradually pulled down in the
last ten years from 22.7 to 17.43.
9. Taken fairly and as a whole I therefore venture respectfully
to submit that the policy of this Committee and the efforts
of its officials are completely and amply justified by results of
which the above represent a few items taken from here and
there in the proceedings of the year, and when the fact is remembered
that the above results are obtained at a cost of about
2d. in every pound of rateable value, or at about Bd. per head
of population, there is not, I venture to think, much to complain
of on the score of extravagance, so far as the working is concerned.
So much for the would be "criticisms" of half-adozen
small property owners and a few shopkeepers,
whose objection to Sanitary effort is quite understandable
to any disinterested person.
Having briefly emphasised these important items of
the work, and the results shown to arise therefrom,
I now proceed to direct your consideration to other
matters that have engaged the efforts of your staff.
Matters for
consideration.