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The total number of inspections made in reference to the
business of the department was 7,059. On 714 of the
premises visited, nuisances to the number of 1,632 were discovered,
and, in dealing with the sanitary defects from which
they arose 136 "Intimation" and 148 "Statutory" notices
were served. The number of Intimation notices served may
perhaps appear small, but in many instances each of these
notices deal with a number of different premises under the
control of one person or agent. It is also customary for a
large amount of Sanitary Work to be carried out as a result
of interviews with, or, explanatory letters sent to the
responsible parties. At the end of the year 1,356 of the
nuisances discovered had been abated, the work of remedying
104 was in hand, and the remaining 172 were outstanding.
In order to ascertain that the sanitary defects above referred
to were being properly remedied 1,700 visits were paid to the
respective premises while the necessary work was in progress.
These visits are of the utmost importance, for it is only by
following up the various stages of the work and close attention
to detail that a good standard of sanitation can be obtained.
Only a reasonable amount of the Inspector's time is taken up,
as a rule, in respect to work which has been entrusted to
person? who have become accustomed to the usual requirements
of the department. There is usually, however, a proportion
of cases in which the number of visits paid to premises
is far greater than it should be, owing to the want of care or
knowledge on the part of the workmen carrying out the
necessary alterations or amendments.
Generally speaking, but little difficulty has been experienced
with owners of property in securing the abatement of
nuisances and the carrying out of various sanitary improvements
when the work was shown to be needful. Every
endeavour is always made to obtain the execution of the
maximum amount of work with the minimum amount of
legal compulsion, and it is gratifying to record that in no
case was it necessary to institute legal proceedings to enforce