View report page

12
On January nth, 1921, through the Public Health Committee, I informed
the Council again that I was still unable to use the room allotted for the women
inspectors
So that throughout 1920, notwithstanding all my efforts, my women officers
were herded together in a tiny room, whose cubic capacity was only equal to
two persons, even on the common lodging house scale. How difficult and
unhealthy it was for five persons to attempt to carry on work there, may be
imagined. Similar overcrowding amongst female outworkers or in a factory
would probably have caused prosecution by my Council and deserved it.
ORGANISATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
On the 7th January the Public Health Committee considered a special
report of the M.O.H., together with a criticism invited from my Senior Inspector.
Both documents were referred to the Council in Committee. My report was
dated 26th November, 1919, and was published in my previous Annual Report.
At the Council of the 27th January it was resolved to summon a special
meeting of the Council in Committee at the first convenient date to consider
these documents.
On the 9th February, owing to my illness, the matter was deferred until
my return.
On the 29th June the Council again adjourned consideration of the matter
until 13th July. On that date a special committee of the Council was appointed
to confer with the Clerk, M.O.H., Engineer and Accountant, with a view to
consider better co-operation of their departments of the Council and also the
position and duties of their staffs and to report to the Council at an early date
with their recommendations; such Committee to invite and make representation
to the Education Committee; it was further agreed that no ex-member of the
Council to be given employment under the Council until a period of 12 months
has elapsed from the time when he or she ceased to be a member of the
Council. This special reorganisation committee did not meet until the nth
November, when the M.O.H. was not present, but nothing arose with reference
to his department except that it was advised that the questions of the sewers
and control of the public conveniences should be referred to the Public Health
Committee.
On July 13th the question of reorganisation was again adjourned until 31st
August.