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29
After a long and somewhat heated discussion the report was
referred for further consideration. It was brought up again at the
next meeting of the Council with some additions and the following
recommendation:—
"That a small deputation be appointed by the Council to
wait upon the President of the Local Government Board
and urge him to promote such an amendment of the law
as will render it obligatory upon Sanitary Authorities, not
only to make bye-laws, but to register and regulate houses
let in lodgings in their districts."
This report was adopted by the Council without discussion.
I much regret the action taken by the Council in this matter.
The attempt on the part of the L.C.C. to ride rough-shod over a
local Sanitary Authority has failed to force this Vestry to act in a
manner repugnant to their convictions. The arbitrary action of the
Council, and to greater extent the inconsiderate speeches of many
of its members, have succeeded in converting the indifference of a
section of this Vestry into active hostility, for no true Englishman
likes compulsion. When the report just quoted was under discussion
by the Council, the Chairman of the Public Health Committee
heaped abuse upon Bethnal Green, and accused the Vestry
of what really amounts to criminal neglect. This gentleman (Mr.
G. J. Cooper, Bermondsey) asserted that the Bethnal Green Vestry
"refused to carry out anything to prevent or avoid the increase of
overcrowding." He, moreover, stated that we "allowed property
to get into a most disgraceful condition of disrepair, badly ventilated,
in a dirty and unhealthy condition, and with the drainage all
wrong." I have no hesitation in saying that these statements are
absolutely without foundation. The facts and figures set forth in
the report of Mr. Foot, the Chief Inspector, are the best refutation
of wild charges of this nature. The Sanitary Staff appointed by
the Vestry is in number much above the average for the whole of
the Metropolitan districts in proportion to population. The intelligence
and energy of the officers are at least up to the average;
and the organisation and control of the department in the hands of
Mr. Foot are as neatly perfect as any human arrangement can be.