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38
Mr. Richards, the Inspector of Nuisances, by whose assistance
this abstract was compiled, reports an increased willingness
year by year on the part of owners of houses to carry
out necessary works for the comfort, health, and well-being
of their tenants. The most hopeful feature is that the latter,
instead of the sullen apathy or unconcealed dislike formerly
evinced to sanitary domiciliary inspections, are now generally
eager to direct the Inspector's attention to defects. The
total removal of pigs and other nuisances has much improved
the general condition of the sub-district, although of course
some defects will always be found to exist, more especially in
some of the few very old houses which are dilapidated and
decayed by reason of their excessive age. With these exceptions
each re-inspection finds fewer and fewer defects to be
amended.
Some very old tenements have been the subject of special
inspection and report. They were situated in Sleaford
Street, Foot's Place, Savona Street, Burrow's Buildings,
Ann's Place, and Seymour Place, in addition to premises also
out of repair in Ponton Street. The necessary orders were
made and the works have in the majority of cases been carried
out. In others there is a difficulty in getting the owners or
agents to carry out the Board's requirements.
A chemical factory was established in February near Old
Battersea Bridge, which would have been very injurious to
the locality by reason of the noxious fumes given off. Notice
was served to abate the nuisance, and the fact of the Board
having proceeded vigorously and successfully in a somewhat
similar case in the New Road some years since mentioned
to the parties, with the result of the objectionable manufacture
being at once stopped.
Bakclmises.—Recent legislation having once more relegated
to the local authorities the task of supervising and regulating
the bakehouses through their Medical Officers of Health, it