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58
There were 5 deaths registered during the year as not
certified, that is to say, were inserted in the local registrar's
returns without any certificates being obtained as to
their causes from medical practitioners. These uncertified
cases included the deaths of 4 infants whose ages ranged
from 2 weeks to 7 months, and 1 adult female aged 74
years ; all these dying, it is presumed, without medical
attendance. The public, I believe are, as a rule, very
imperfectly informed upon the many defects of the
existing Registration Acts. The law regulating the
registration of both births and deaths needs great amendment
to render it at all suitable to the present age.
Sanitation of the Year.—As may be seen by consulting
Table VI, in the Appendix, a somewhat large amount of
sanitary work of various kinds was accomplished during
the year, thus 1,200 houses and premises were inspected
by the surveyor and myself, and 98 notices served for the
removal of nuisances. There were also a number of
houses supplied with water, and in many others drains
were constructed and properly connected with the public
sewers; but the most important sanitary achievement is
the completion of the great intercepting sewer within this
parish, as part of the general system of drainage for the
metropolis, to which local sewer during the past year
there has been made an addition of upwards of 9000 feet
in main and branch drainage. There is now, it is
ascertained, a length of main sewer within the Sub-district
measuring 22¼ miles, and in full operation! To the credit
of our able surveyor, this large amount of sewerage is being
well maintained, and kept in a state of great efficiency,
requiring only a better system of ventilation to render the
undertaking in every respect perfect.
That this will ultimately be accomplished few can
doubt; in the mean time repeated and systematic flushing