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58
HOUSE TO HOUSE INSPECTION.
The question of the enhanced death-rate in the South-West
Ward has been before the Council on various occasions during the
past few years. The chief features in the high mortality have
been discussed in successive Annual Reports. In 1906, the
death-rate in the South-West Ward was 17.2 compared with
13.2 in the whole district. In 1907 it was 20.4 compared with
13.9 in the whole district; in 1908, 18.3 compared with 13.1
and last year it was 19.1 compared with 12.6 in the whole
district. The causes are not transient one?, as a higher deathrate
has always been recorded in that part of the district which
now constitutes the South-West Ward. The causes are
dependent upon two conditions—social and sanitary. We are
now concerned with the latter cause, and the question has
occupied the attention of the Health Committee on several
occasions. Until the latter part of 1909, circumstances have
militated against any systematic inspection of the ward. In 1908
Mr. Thomas was appointed as Temporary Inspector to
carry out house-to-house inspection in the ward. Directly
Mr. Thomas was appointed Mr. Fearns was incapacitated by
ill-health from carrying out his duties and Mr. Thomas was
appointed to the post held by Mr. Fearns. In the Autumn of
1909, owing to a re-arrangement in the Staff of the Surveyor's
Department, Mr. Brooks was appointed for a period of six
months tocarry out a house-to house inspection and this appointment
was renewed at the end of the six months. The number
of streets inspected is too small to draw any general conclusions,
and it is hoped to submit a fuller report on a future occasion.
Somerset Road is in the South-East Ward, but it presents
features similar in their character to the streets inspected in
the South-West Ward.
It will be observed from the accompanying table that
overcrowding was most prevalent in Holland Terrace and
Petersfield Road. Overcrowding is a term having many
definitions and standards, and it is customary to accept a