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141
Do the petitioners seriously believe that a house-to-house
inspection in the poorer parts of the Borough will remove or
partially remove either of these factors? We can confidently
answer in the negative; for the spokesman who presented the
petition to the Borough Council on 7th October, without giving
any reasons for the proposed house-to-house inspection, except
that certain clergymen residing in the Borough had signed the
petition, candidly admitted that the real object was to obtain
work for the unemployed.
It would almost appear from the recurring agitation for
house-to-house inspections that there are certain people who
regard such inspection as a panacea for all the woes of the
poorer classes.
As the petitioners appear not to be aware of the work of
the Public Health Department in this matter of house-to-house
inspection, your Committee think this opportunity should not
be passed by to enlighten them. From the petition it might
be assumed that the Public Health Committee have never sanctioned
house-to-house inspection in the working class districts
of the Borough; but the truth is that in the year 1904 the
Council recognised the necessity for such inspections, and
appointed two Inspectors to give their whole time to this work.
These have now been at work in the Borough over five years,
and have given their time and energies exclusively to house to
house inspections in the working class districts of the Borough.
Moreover the High Hill Ferry district was made small in order
to enable the Inspector to accomplish a yearly inspection of the
smaller class property in that area, in addition to his other
duties. He has been able to accomplish this. Similarly, the
district of Hackney Wick was given alone to one Inspector,
with the like object. Further, in the intervals of their other
duties, the District Inspectors, of whom we have twelve, make
house-to-house inspections.