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75
" That, having regard to the small and fourth-class
character of the property, and its aged and worn out
condition generally, it would only he necessary to make
arrangements for its temporary drainage, as the
premises would soon come down."
This is nearly sixty years ago, and probably all the
persons concerned in the transaction are dead, yet the
houses are still standing and inhabited. The " temporary
drainage " has been remodelled and brought up to date as
occasion arose under the supervision of the officers of our
Public Health Department, but had this been neglected or
improperly carried out, the present excessive mortality
would undoubtedly have been enormously increased.
As probably you remember, the London County
Council, in 1905, declined to act upon my representation as
they had information that at no distant date the whole area
would be re-developed by a private firm without expenses to
the County. It was known as a matter of fact that a firm
of brewers had purchased the southern portion of the area
in 1903, with the intention of erecting a beer-bottling
factory upon the site, but the intention was abandoned
without any probability of revival. The erection of Model
dwellings on the site by private firms is also most unlikely.
Empty houses in Bethnal Green are common, and to my
certain knowledge schemes for the erection of flats in the
neighbourhood have been abandoned or curtailed.
Under date March 18th, 1905, in reply to my appeal
for a reconsideration of the Council's determination not to
act, you advised Bethnal Green to exercise its powers under
the Public Health and other Acts for remedying the
evils connected with this area. This has been done, and
much misery has been caused thereby; houses have been
stripped and repaired after a fashion with tenants still in
them, and, as 1 said before, with unsatisfactory results as to
permanent improvement.