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102
Some of these people are clean, but the majority live under the
most wretchedly insanitary conditions, destitute of the very elements
of cleanliness and morality. Many of them, to prevent overcrowding,
in their vans, sleep in tents on the ground.
The children are taught to prevaricate and to appropriate anything
within their reach.
It is almost useless to serve notices on them, for they remove
from the district for a few days and return with a new name.
They are a continual source of worry, and cause a large
expenditure of time to the Sanitary Department.
Owing to their being continually moved about, a few have taken
houses in Brettenham Road, and keep their vans in the back yards
during the winter months. Their children then come within the
jurisdiction cf the School Authorities, but on the approach of
Spring they soon vacate the houses and become a constant source of
annoyance to respectable citizens; the children no longer
attending school.
However, I am hoping some of their favourite haunts will be
built upon shortly. Every year the area of their operations in this
district becomes more restricted.
RIGHT-OF-WAYS.
There are two passages or rights of way, one leading from Church
Street to Chichester Road and known as Winterburns Alley. This
passage is made a continual source of nuisance and requires regular
cleansing and disinfecting.
Also one leading from Hertford Road to Chiswick Road. This
also requires similar attention, but the nuisance is not nearly so bad
as in the former case.
The end of the Crescent and back entrance to same has also to
be kept under observation or nuisances would soon arise. Many
other places need similar supervision, owing to the filthy habits of a
certain class of people.