View report page

142
The condition of Artizans' Dwellings, Boyfield Street.
(late Gun Street Dwellings).
The condition of these dwellings has been very unsatisfactory for
some time past. Complaints have been made from time to time of the
low class of tenants occupying them, and the generally dilapidated
condition of the tenements. The ward sanitary inspector has had them
constantly under his attention and innumerable notices have been served,
many of them ending in Police Court proceedings.
The following report was made to the Public Health Committee:—
"Report on Artizans' Dwellings, Boyfield Street,
(Late Gun Street).
These dwellings are contained in two blocks of four storeys with a
frontage of 150 feet, situate on the N.E. side of Boyfield Street, at the
King James Street end. There are 32 two.room and 22 single.room
tenements, each tenement being approached from a corridor. They are
occupied at present by 39 families comprising 164 persons. The
rooms of the tenements have a cubic capacity of from 1,100 to 1,550 cubic
feet, and are from 8 feet 8 inches to 9 feet 9 inches in height.
They are well.lighted and ventilated, being approached from through
corridors running transversely to the facade of the buildings. In each
block the staircase is in the middle of the building and is dark and badly
constructed; the treads of the stairs are very much worn and are
dangerous to persons going up and down. There are eight water.closets
of a fairly good pattern on the back wall of each block, with a similar
number of water.tap3 provided with a good supply of water direct from
the main, and sinks. The soil and sink.pipes are of modern size and
construction, terminating above the house roof. They are outside the
building. There are two inspection chambers to each block. There are
also dust.shoots emptying into dust.bins at the rear of the premises.
The worst structural defect in connection with these dwellings is the
dark and ill.arranged staircases.
The persons occupying the dwellings are of the lowest class, dirty
and untidy. The rooms and water.closets, when put into proper repair,
are by the habits of such persons quickly rendered dirty and out of order.
Many of the water.closets are now out of repair. During the past year
69 notices have been served by the sanitary inspector to remedy the foul