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67
PAVING OF YARDS, &c.
In all cases where it is necessary for the prevention or
remedy of insanitary conditions, the Council's Bye-law, relative
to the above, requires the owner of every dwelling-house in
connection with which there is any yard or open space to
properly pave the same with hard, durable and impervious
flagging, paving bricks, asphalte or concrete.
It will be noted that forecourts, side entrances, and all
open spaces about dwelling-houses come within the scope of
the Bye-law above referred to, and that action may be taken
in order to "prevent" or "remedy" insanitary conditions.
The efforts of your inspectors have so far been chiefly
directed to the "remedying" rather than the "prevention"
of nuisances arising from the absence of paving, as in the poorer
class property, which is chiefly dealt with under this heading,
an unpaved yard is practically never found to be in a proper
sanitary condition. This latter fact clearly demonstrates the
keen necessity of paving a sufficient area of the ground surface
near the dwelling.
The execution of this class of work is very much appreciated
by the tenants, and, from the fact that it makes
dirty conditions more evident and cleansing more easy, it
unquestionably leads to the immediate surroundings of the
house being kept in a state of cleanliness, which must have
a salutory effect on the health and comfort of the inmates.
During the year, 117 yards were found to be in an insanitary
condition. Seventy-one of these were properly paved,
and the defective paving of eight other yards was effectively