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47
late Mr. Charles Harrison, M.P., one of the representatives of Bethnal
Green, requested the Chairman of the Council to permit the consideration
of the report to stand over until the Vestry had had an
.opportunity of expressing their views on the subject. The Council
accordingly agreed to postpone the consideration of the report for a
fortnight, for the purpose of arranging a conference between the
Public Health Committee and a deputation from this Vestry.
In accordance with the instructions given I attended at Spring
Gardens with Mr. Foot. We were most courteously received by
Mr. Branch, by whom we were introduced to the Public Health
Committee, and were given the fullest opportunity to express the
objections of the Vestry to the proposed course of action, which I
stated under the following heads :—
In the opinion of the Vestry the bye-laws as drawn up are
(1) harsh and oppressive. The standards as to overcrowding
and the separation of the sexes are too high and are impracticable
in Bethnal Green. Moreover, these regulations
are unnecessary and would serve no useful purpose which
cannot be equally well obtained under the Public Health
Act; for by improved methods of working this law, and a
more perfect supervision by the existing staff, insanitary
conditions have been very largely removed, and a house-tohouse
inspection of the whole parish is being vigorously
carried out.
(2) If the regulations are attempted to be enforced on tenants,
Magistrates will either refuse to convict or will adjourn
sine die; and prosecution of the nominal "Landlord"
under the bye-laws will be rendered nugatory by frequent
changes and by appointing men of straw.
(3) The regulations could not be worked with the present staff
(at least, another inspector and an additional clerk would
be required). The Sanitary Committee are of opinion that
the time taken up iu making the necessary inspections,
keeping the registers, etc., could be much more profitably
occupied.