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condition is that "frequent house-to-house inspection" recommended
by the Sanitary Committee in their report made in the early part of
1893. This, unhappily, cannot be done, seeing that, even before the
recent enlargement of the Inspector's district (which has had added to
it upwards of 700 houses with a population of more than 4,000), there
were some 1,600 houses under his charge, containing a population of
16,000 persons, comprised in about 3,700 families, very many of which
were in occupation of a part of a house—often a single room—the
number of tenements in the district of less than five rooms each, being
close upon 3,000.* It is impossible to make a single thorough
inspection of each of these tenements in the course of a year, much
less "frequent house-to-house inspection." Still, what can be done,
should be done, and I do not know anything more important than to
insist on compliance with your Vestry's Bye-law (No. 7), which requir's
that—
"The owner of a registered house shall cause the walls and ceilings
of every room, and of the common passages, staircase, waterclosets,
and out-houses thereof, to be thoroughly stopped,
cleansed, and, where not painted or papered, well and
sufficiently whitewashed or coloured, at least once a year,
between the months of April and August both inclusive, and
at any other time when necessary."
'In many of the houses the water-closet accommodationis deficient,
but means are being taken to enforce the County Council's Bye-law,
which, corresponding with your Vestry's Bye-law, requires that—
"The owner of a registered house shall provide and maintain
accommodation in the proportion of one properly constructed
water-closet for every twelve persons lawfully occupying the
house."
'The house-refuse should be removed at least once in every week,
and it would be well if the present ash-pits were abolished, galvanized
iron receptacles being substituted.
'The district has a constant water-supply, and it would be a great
advantage, therefore, if, in the lodging houses especially, provision were
made enabling the occupants to obtain water for drinking from a tap
on the rising main.
'Probably no greater service could be done than to cause the yards
(there are very few rear spaces that can be reasonably described as
gardens) to be properly paved and drained, so as to secure the greatest
* As explained elsewhere, the district was enlarged, as described, in
February, but reduced to its original limits in October, 1896.