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85
"accommodation is provided at the workshop, and they obviously cannot
"afford to pay out of their scanty earnings even the small amount
"required for the use of the public convenience, and the present provision
"being situated in the Northern and Western Districts only, it is not
''available to many of these women to whom time is money, and who
"have but little knowledge of the grave consequences that often result
"from neglect of natural functions.
"It is necessary that free accommodation be provided for women
"at each public convenience, and I recommend that this be at once
"arranged for.
"Arrangements for Free Accommodation.
"At present the closets for free accommodation are provided with
"doors without fastenings, or curtains only, to which system there are
"many objections.
"The attendant has no control as to the number of persons entering
"the compartment at once—has no opportunity (where the conveniences
"are in constant use) of seeing whether the closet is in proper order —
" and in any case of abuse has no means of detecting the offender—
"while further, the absence of privacy undoubtedly means unnecessary
"discomfort in the case of decent persons who by reason of poverty or
"other cause are compelled to seek free accommodation.
"I have therefore to recommend that all free conveniences be fitted
"with doors (without inside bolts), and that such doors be fastened
"with locks under the control of the attendants.
"Increased accommodation for women is urgently needed in the
"Eastern Districts, Aldgate and Bishopsgate, and I recommend that it
"be referred to Mr. Engineer to consider and report as to how this
"should be provided."
On consideration of the above Report the Committee decided at once to
provide free accommodation at each public convenience within the City.
It was further resolved to refer to Mr. Engineer to report as to further
sanitary accommodation for women in Aldgate and Bishopsgate, and the
Court of Common Council subsequently agreed (1st March, 1906) to provide
further accommodation for women at the existing underground conveniences
in Aldgate High Street and Bishopsgate Street Without at an estimated cost
of £1,600.
The gas stoves referred to in the foregoing Report have since been removed,
and new ones with suitable flues for carrying off the products of combustion
substituted. These have effected a marked improvement in the condition of
the atmosphere in the attendants' rooms.