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provisions to close up a good many dwellings. Bentinck Court
and Williams Cottages (19 houses) were closed by Mag1strate's
order under the Act. The same process was applied to No.
6, High Street, St. John's Wood, and to Nos. 6 and 11, Gees
Court.
PROSECUTIONS UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH
ACT.
In about 9 cases the Local Authority has been compelled
to enforce the observance of the Law by legal proceedings.
The owners of Nos. 4, Harrow Street, 69, Upper Berkeley
Street, 34, Great Barlow Street, and 3 & 4, Wellington Place
were summoned for neglecting to obey notices with regard to
drainage or other sanitary matters.
The owner of No. 107, Princess Street was summoned
for not providing water to the premises ; the owner of 125,
Great Portland Street was summoned for placing on the kerb
an improper dust-bin, and an occupier of Montagu Mews
was summoned for non-removal of manure.
In most of the above cases, convictions and small penalties
were obtained.
THE MORTUARY AND CORONER'S COURT.
The report of the Mortuary Keeper, Mr. Ellis, is to be found
at page 27. The Mortuary continues to be of high utility.
During the past year the Committee replaced the gas
fittings by the electric light, the short roadway was taken up
and laid down with asphalte, and the building was placed in
communication with the general telephone system, all most
desirable improvements, bringing the building and appliances
up-to-date.
THE CLEANSING OF PERSONS ACT.
The Cleansing of Persons Act was passed in 1897, and
the writer recommended the Vestry to put it into operation
Accordingly, as an experiment, a single bath in Grove
Road was fitted up, and was opened on the 2nd day of March.
On the very first day there were no less than four applicants,
and up to the last day of March, 148 persons had used the
bath. Encouraged by this success various improvements
were made in successive years, culminating in 1900 in the
provision of baths for females, and a suitable building. As