View report page

9
It would not be difficult to schedule several parts of St. John's Ward
under the Housing Act, but in view of the extensive clearances which
have already taken place and are in progress, and the extreme difficulty
in finding accommodation for those persons already displaced, it has
been the object of the Public Health Committee to induce property
owners to render their houses more sanitary, and to endeavour to keep
them up to a higher standard than had previously obtained. Under
existing conditions, it is no doubt difficult to do so, but, with one or two
exceptions, the owners have endeavoured to comply.
A scheme is now being prepared by a syndicate to acquire, if
Parliamentary sanction can be obtained, an additional area to that
dealt with by the County Council in their Millbank Improvement, and
the syndicate purposes to take over on lease the ground acquired by the
Council. They would thus be enabled to deal with an area bounded by
Wood Street on the north, Marsham Street on the west, Horseferry
Road on the south, and Millbank on the east. These schemes will
remove several of the sub-districts above-mentioned.
The alterations consequent upon the passing of regulations by the
Council with respect to the duties of the staff of the Department have
been satisfactorily completed during the year. The only change in the
Inspectional staff was the appointment of Miss A. M. Dick, Assistant
Sanitary Inspector at Paisley, in place of Miss Byrne, resigned. Miss
Dick holds the certificates as a qualified Sanitary Inspector of the Local
Government Board Examination Board (London) and of the Sanitary
Association of Scotland. The work of the women inspectors was at
first somewhat resented by persons whose premises it is their duty to
inspect, but their work has been appreciated by female workers, and
applications for advice from employers are now not infrequently
received.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
FRANCIS J. ALLAN,
Medical Officer of Health.
13th March, 1906.