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45
survey has shown necessary, for enforcing works of
local improvement under the powers of your Acts
of Parliament. I find that within the last twelve
months there have been made 3147 visitations of
this nature, the results of which are recorded in
your office; and, founded on the result of these inspections,
there have been issued 983 orders for
abatement of causes of disease.
I am very far from considering that these
arrangements have been perfect. Circumstances
beyond my control have prevented me from constructing
as complete an organisation as I could
wish; and the fact that your Inspectors are very
largely employed in other duties, has perhaps
occasionally given some hurry and imperfection
to their share of the work. Still—such as it is,
this system has been the means of considerable
advantage; and I am glad to be able to claim for
your Honourable Court the distinction of being
first in the metropolis to have established an
arrangement for the systematic sanitary visitation
of the dwellings of the poor. In relation to this
subject, I beg to inform your Honourable Court,
that your Inspectors have discharged the duties,
which you authorised me to impose on them, with
much zeal, intelligence and industry.
During the last few weeks, it has become obvious
to your Honourable Court that the duties of this
department of your service have grown to such
dimensions as to necessitate some increase of your