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supply, 247 in closet accommodation, 172 in drainage,
83 in ventilation, 249 in cleanliness, 359 in dampness of
the walls, 164 in the condition of the yard, 108 in
disposal of refuse, and 329 in some other matter than
those specified.
Where any defect is found, a preliminary notice is
sent to the owner, pointing out the defects found at the
inspection, and asking him to have them remedied. In
some cases this was done, but if on re-inspection it was
found that no steps were being taken to remedy defects
statutory noticcs were served under the Public Health
Act where possible, or under the Housing Acts.
It was found that there was considerable difficulty
in carrying out the work required by the notices.
Shortage 6f labour and material and the high cost
thereof, together with transport difficulties had all to be
reckoned with, and in many cases the cost of renovating
a small house let at 5/- to 7/- a week would take the
whole of the rent for more than twelve months.
Forty houses were scheduled under Section 28 of
the Housing Act 1919, and orders made. Some of these
houses were under repair at the close of the year.
The number of visits for re-inapection was 525.
Water Supply.
Some defect in this was found in 138 houses. In
the large majority of these cases the drinking water was
obtained from a cistern which had no proper cover; in
many cases also the cistern was found to be fixed in an
unsuitable position, such as in an outhouse, or so near
the ceiling of a scullery as to be totally inaccessible for
proper cleaning.
The Metropolitan Water Board require every house
to have a storage cistern, but it is always advisable to
have in addition a tap supplying drinking water direct
from the main.
Cisterns should always be fixed so as to be easily
accessible for cleaning, they should be cleaned out
regularly, and have a proper cover.