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negligence as regards cleanliness and general management. A considerable
number of the places licensed for this purpose are much too small, and in the
midst of too dense a population, to be properly fitted for such a business; and it
will depend on the butchers themselves -whether they 'will continue to be
licensed, seeing that by great care on their part the business may be carried on
almost -without nuisance, -whilst by negligence the premises -will inevitably
become nuisances, and injurious to health, in which case the magistrates will
certainly refuse the renewal of the license. At the last Michaelmas Sessions
107 licenses in all tvere granted; three that had been previously granted were
withdrawn, and five new applications rejected. There are now no areas of
dwelling-houses licensed for slaughtering; formerly these places were constantly
used fof that purpose. On several occasions during the year, butchers slaughtering
in unlicensed places have been prosecuted and fined.
CONDITION OP PRIVATE HOUSES.
During the year a very large number of houses have been brought into a
much better sanitary state, under the supervision of myself and the inspectors.
The following is a summary of the improvements recorded in the books of this
department during the year ending Lady-Day, 1858.
Number of houses inspected and specially reported, 1005.
Drains newly constructed, 150; improved, 193; trapped, 547.
Cesspools abolished, 238.
Water-closets furnished with pan, trap, and water supply, 266; new ones
erected, 8 ; old ones supplied with water, 51.
Dust-bins constructed, 138; repaired, 91.
Pavement of cellars or yards, newly constructed or rclaid, 118.
General water supply provided, 10.
Houses cleansed and lime-whited, 168 ; improved as regards ventilation, 34.
In order to bring about these improvements 536 notices have been issued,
having reference to 1005 places. Of the whole number of places under notice
the works required have been completed in 946, and in 59 they are not yet done.
It would have been easy to have brought a much larger number of houses
under notice, as in some localities it is impossible to go a step without discovering
evils which urgently require removal; but the principle on which I have acted
has been Hot to look out for new evils, until those forced on my attention have
been as far as possible remedied. In some instances the owners of property give
a great deal of trouble, and require a preliminary and final notice, frequent verbal
warnings, and a summons before a magistrate before they will perform the works
required. But I must say that the majority exhibit a very reasonable readiness
to comply with the requirements of the Sanitary Committee; and wherever the
object could be attained without recourse to law it has been my wish to do so.
During the year under review, summonses have been taken out under the
Nuisances Removal and Police Acts in 81 instances. Of these 9 only have been
lost, and those chiefly from disputed ownership.
There is one respect in which the houses of the poor are lamentably defective,
and to improve which not much has yet been done. I refer to the means of
ventilation. Small rooms, occupied by whole families night and day, very often
have but one small window (which does not open at the top, and is seldom opened