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138
working class; and further call upon the Borough Council
to use its present powers for compelling landlords to keep
all houses in good repair."
We have carefully considered the petition presented to the
Council by the Social Democratic Party on the 7th October, and
beg herewith to report thereon.
We wish, in the first instance, to recall to the Council's recollection
the circumstances under which the petition was signed.
It appears that in order to obtain signatures two circulars were
drafted, one for the man in the street, and another, somewhat
more ambitious in character, professing to give certain reasons
why a house-to-house inspection should be undertaken by the
Borough Council. In both circulars it was stated that 2,003
complaints were received at the Town Hall which were not discovered
by the Inspectors, but were complained of by private
persons. In the Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the
year 1908, from which the above statement is said to be taken,
there is the following (page 42):—
"Complaints of Nuisance.—During the year 1908
there were 2,003 complaints of nuisance made to the Public
Health Department and investigated by the Sanitary
Inspectors of the Borough. A considerable number, about
13 per cent., were, anonymous, but these received the same
consideration as other complaints. Notices were served,
for the abatement of any nuisances found, on the person or
persons liable under the above Act to abate the nuisances."
It will be seen from this quotation that there is no justification
for the statement that the complaints referred to were
made by private persons and not discovered by the Sanitary
Inspectors. As a matter of fact, an analysis of the source of
these complaints, gives the following:—