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69
Confiscation is an ugly word and the rights of property are held
to be very sacred, but the health of helpless women and children is
even more sacred. It may be unjust to punish the present owners
of badly constructed houses for the faults of their predecessors who
were the original builders, yet something very much more economical
and expeditious than the present purchase clauses of the Housing
Act is necessary before the improvement of these small congested
areas is at all likely to be taken in hand in real earnest by the
Vestries. In my opinion the owners of such property as Faith St.
and Pitt St. should be compelled to part with their interest in the
houses at something even less than the fair market value, and
without any compensation for disturbance when it is apparent as
in these cases that the continued occupation of the premises as
dwellings endangers the health of the inhabitants.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your very obedient servant,
Mcclical Officer of Health for St. Matthew, Bcthnal Green.