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administered, and one died whilst under the influence of ether. Among
other cases a child, aged two years, was murdered by strangulation and
drowning ; person, aged 53, by clothes catching fire, and male, aged 70,
a tramp, from pneumonia whilst suffering from exposure and want of
nourishment.
Mortuary.—The total number of bodies received during the year
was 75, an increase of three on the previous year. Fifty-one of these
were admitted by the Coroner's order, 16 were brought in by the police,
and only eight at the request of friends and relatives. The number of
post-mortem examinations made was 38.
Work of the Public Health Department.—Full details as to the work
carried out by the District Inspectors are to be found in Table IV.
Three thousand two hundred and eighty-eight inspections of houses
and premises were made during the year, an increase of 283 on the
preceding year, and upwards of 6,000 re-inspections were made
after order or notice had been served; 633 orders were made for the
cleansing, white-washing, and repairs of houses, 398 for the repair, and
383 for the re-construction of house drains. The number of closets
requiring attention, such as repair to water-supply and cleansing, was
373, and 321 required to be re-constructed. Yard pavings were repaired
in 171 instances, and 55 orders made for new to be provided; 151 dustbins
required renewal or repair, 312 cisterns were ordered to be cleansed
and 36 new ones to be provided. Overcrowding was abated in 15 cases,
and 7 rooms improperly used as dwellings ordered to be discontinued to
be used.
Owing to the hot and dry summer, complaints of the non-removal
of Manure were more frequent than in any previous year, and no less than
304 orders were necessary for the removal of dung and other refuse.
The use of peat litter in place of straw is becoming very common,
from motives of economy, with those keeping horses and omnibus yards.
This material when saturated with urine which quickly decomposes in
hot weather, becomes extremely offensive when disturbed for removal.
The County Council suggest that restrictions should be placed as to the
hours during which it may be removed, but as the disturbance of the