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83
OFFICES.
Thirty-eight offices where lady clerks are employed have been inspected with
reference to the sanitary accommodation provided.
In thirty cases no separate sanitary convenience was provided, at three
premises the accommodation was unsuitable, and at three the conveniences were
dirty. One room, in which eleven girls were employed in typewriting, was
found to be in a very dirty condition, two rooms were badly ventilated and
there were five "general" defects, making a total of forty-four defects in
thirty-four offices. In four cases there was no cause for action. Thirty-one
defects have already been remedied and the remainder are in hand, with one
exception, where the firm were shortly giving up the lease of the premises, and
the required re-arrangement of the sanitary accommodation was not pressed.
On the whole the owners of premises as well as the employers have shown
themselves ready to carry out the suggestions made.
LADIES' WAITING ROOMS AT RAILWAY STATIONS.
There are twenty-three railway stations in the City at which ladies' waiting
rooms are provided. The number of waiting rooms is twenty-nine, containing
eighty-eight conveniences. These have been periodically inspected, and a
very marked improvement is noticeable in the condition of the lavatories and
sanitary conveniences.
This is especially the case at Liverpool Street Station, where, on the
suggestion of your Medical Officer of Health, new wash-down closets have
been substituted for those of the old valve pattern. The latter were a constant
source of complaint, but since the new ones have been adopted the conveniences
at all the waiting rooms at this station have been reported as being
in quite a satisfactory condition.
The ventilation of the ladies' waiting rooms at Fenchurch Street (First
Class) and at Aldersgate Street has been considerably improved, and at the
latter station the conveniences are now lighted naturally, doing away with the
gas which was formerly burnt all day.
Some minor defects were found at various stations, and these have been
remedied.
SANITARY ACCOMMODATION FOR WOMEN.
In November last your Medical Officer reported to the Streets Committee
on the above question as follows:—
" There are now eleven underground conveniences for women in the
" City, as follows :—
" Aldersgate Street (General Post Office).
" Aldersgate Street (North end).
*" Circus Place.
*" Farringdon Street South (Ludgate Circus).