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6
Total number of inhabited houses in the Town as per census
of 1901, 3,851; 1891, 2,561.
This compared with 1891, gives the following increase: 1,290.
Number of persons per inhabited house is given in the 1891
census returns as 5.5 ; in 1901, 5.6.
In 1900 there were 398 deaths, and 783 births. The figures for
1901 were 383 and 799 respectively. The natural increase of the
population by excess of births over deaths was therefore 416, as
against 385 in 1900.
Water Supply.
The Public Water Supply has been derived from the same source
as in previous years.
The new Act obtained by the South Essex Water Company
comes into force on January 1st, 1902. By the provisions of this
Act the chargcs of the Company have been in many instances
revised with great benefit to the consumer.
I regret that in many of the most recently constructed houses
in the Town, it is allowable for the domestic water supply to be
derived from a storage cistern only. I think the Council should
obtaiu power to stop this arrangement.
No advance has been made in extending the public supply to
Creeksmonth or Choats Lane. Negotiations are still in hand as
regards Crceksmouth. For list of property not supplied by town
water, see my report for 1900.
Food and Milk Supply.
Frequent inspections are made wherever food is exposed for
human consumption. Large quantities of food of all kinds,
rabbits frozen and fresh, fish, vegetables, &c., are brought down and
sold in the Broadway on Friday and Saturday evenings. Several
seizures have been made, but on the whole the quality of the
articles sold have greatly improved. Both myself and the Sanitary
Inspector visit the market regularly
Twenty-nine samples of Milk, and 19 of Butter have been submitted
to the Public Analyst during the year. All the samples
were genuine. (For other articles see Sanitary Inspectors report).
The prevalence of Enteric Fever in the town towards the close
of the year led me to make a special investigation into the condition