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20 were to await burial. The mortuary in St. James, Westminster, received 29 bodies. In the
Marylebone mortuary 538 bodies were received, of which 301 were to await burial, and of these 26
were the bodies of persons who had died from infectious disease. Of 71 bodies received into the
Hampstead mortuary 8 were so received at the request of friends or of medical men. In St.
Pancras, of 485 bodies received, 19 were admitted into the infectious mortuary. In Islington, 757
bodies were received into the mortuary, inquests were held on 463. The number of bodies received
in the Stoke Newington mortuary was 23, inquests were held on 18. The Hackney mortuary
received 365 bodies, 352 for the purpose of inquest, 13 to await burial. In St. Giles, 64 bodies
were received into the mortuary. Of 77 bodies received into the Strand mortuaries, one was
the body of a person who had died from infectious disease. There were 157 bodies brought into the
Holborn mortuary, on 51 of which inquests were held. The Clerkenwell mortuary received 253 bodies,
194 of which were brought from dwellings of parishioners, and 16 of these were bodies of persons who
had died of infectious disease. In St. Luke, 289 bodies were received into the mortuary, on 83
inquests were held. In the City, 94 bodies were received into the mortuary, pending their removal
for interment. The number of bodies received into the Shoreditch mortuary was 404, on 301 inquests
were held, 9 were the bodies of persons dying from infectious disease; the medical officer of health
says that the figures show an increasing disposition on the part of the public to make use of the
mortuary. In Whitechapel 156 bodies were deposited in the mortuary, 16 to await burial and on the
remaining 140 inquests were held. The mortuary in St. George-in-the-East received 207 bodies, 13
of which were admitted into the infectious mortuary. The Limehouse mortuary, during the last two
months of the year, received 37 bodies, 33 of which were on the order of the coroner. There were 160
bodies admitted into the Mile-end Old-town mortuary, several were the bodies of persons who had died
from infectious disease. In St. George, Southwark, 212 bodies were deposited in the mortuary, five on
account of infectious disease. Of 165 bodies received into the Newington mortuary, 8 were bodies of
persons who had died from infectious disease, and 18 others were bodies awaiting burial. In St.
Olave inquests were held on 21 of 32 bodies brought into the mortuary. The number of dead bodies
in Bermondsey which were removed from rooms to the mortuary was 64, being an increase of 26. In
Rotherhithe, 8 bodies were removed to the mortuary. The number of bodies received into the
Lambeth (High-street) mortuary was 373. The Battersea mortuary received 293 bodies, 17 of which
were for " sanitary reasons." The Streatham mortuary received 25 bodies. In Camberwell, 240 bodies
were removed to the mortuary; 211 inquests were held. In Plumstead, 23 bodies were admitted to
the mortuary.
The reports also show that in St. Saviour, Southwark, it has been decided to erect a mortuary on
land purchased for the purpose; that in Lambeth a second mortuary was in course of erection in
Wanless-road, and that a site for a third mortuary had been purchased in Norwood; that plans for the
erection of a new mortuary in Woolwich have been prepared ; that the medical officer of health of Lee
(Eltham) suggests that the two parishes of Eltham and Lee should combine for the purpose of erection
of a mortuary; that the new mortuary in Plumstead has not been commenced.
The London Equalisation of Rates Act, 1894.
The Equalisation of Rates Act provides that the London County Council shall in each year form
a fund equal to a rate of sixpence in the pound on the rateable value of London. The contribution
from each parish to the fund is to be in proportion to its rateable value. The fund thus formed is
to be distributed among the sanitary districts in proportion to their population. Where a sanitary
district comprises two or more parishes, and the aggregate of the contributions from such parishes
is less than the grant apportioned to the district, the difference shall be paid out of the fund to the
sanitary authority of the district, and no payment towards any equalisation charge shall be required
from any parish in the district.
Subject to the above, when the contribution from a parish is less than the grant due, the
difference shall be paid out of the fund to the sanitary authority of the district forming or comprising
the parish; and if it exceeds the grant due to the parish, the Council shall, for the special purpose of
meeting the excess, levy on the parish a county contribution as a separate item of the county rate.
Every sum paid to a sanitary authority must be applied in defraying the expenses of the
sanitary authority incurred under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and so far as not required
for that purpose those incurred in respect of lighting, and so far as not required for that purpose
those incurred in respect of streets, and where the sanitary district comprises two or more parishes
the sum paid must be apportioned among such parishes in proportion to their population, and the
amount apportioned to each parish credited to the parish in the reduction of the rate required from
such parish towards the above-mentioned expenses.
The sanitary authority is required to render annually to the Local Government Board a return
showing the amount of the sum to be paid, and the total expenses incurred in respect of the three
subjects mentioned.
If the Local Government Board, under section 101 of the Public Health (London) Act, are
satisfied that the sanitary authority have been guilty of such default as in such section mentioned, and
have made an order limiting a time for the performance of the duty of the authority, the London
County Council shall, if directed by the Local Government Board, withhold the whole or any part of
the payment of the sum due to such authority.
The Act provides that for the purposes of the distribution of the fund a census shall be taken
on the 29th March, 1896, which census was taken on that date as provided. In other years an estimate
of population on the 6th April will be made by the Registrar-General upon returns which the Local
Government Board will receive from the authority making the poor rate in each parish, showing the
total number of houses entered in the rate book of the parish.