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hygienic importance of cleanliness and dryness in the surroundings of dwelling houses—a matter
to which attention was specially directed in my annual report for 1897 (page 146); the authority
of the [then] late medical officer of the Local Government Board being cited in support of the
views therein expressed.
PUBLIC BATHS AND WASHHOUSES.
I am indebted to Mr. Buck, Superintendent, for the subjoined particulars:—The washers in
the year ended 31st March, 1908, were 73,302, compared with 69,787 in the preceding twelve
months; the bathers 136,695 (males 98,648, females 38,047), compared with 135,895 in 1906-7. The
total includes pupil teachers 747 (males 360, females 387); members of evening continuation classes
2,272 (males 1,124, females 1,148); school chjldren 34,938 (boys 18,054, girls 16,884), and members
of boys' and girls' clubs, 1,089 (males 851, females 238). I can only repeat here what has been
remarked in many previous reports, that, for the majority of parishioners, the site of the establishment
is not sufficiently central for bathers, and is too remote for would-be washers. The same
objection would apply to any single site in the Borough. What is wanted is the provision, in convenient
localities, of buildings on a modest scale to which the poor in the central and southern
districts might resort for laundry purposes.
UNDERGROUND ROOMS ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED.
In 14 instances rooms "underground" were found to be illegally occupied. The illegal
occupation was in each case discontinued on the service of a written intimation, or a statutory
notice.
DISINFECTION.
The work of disinfection at the new disinfecting station, an illustrated description of which
was given in the report for 1906, went on in an entirely satisfactory way throughout the year 1907.
A tabular statement of it is subjoined :—