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89
Fifty new glazed stoneware or fireclay sinks were fixed,
a number of these being provided in lieu of old existing York
stone sinks which had become badly worn and insanitary.
Several sinks were provided at houses where no such provision
previously existed.
The Council may, if it appears to them, upon the report
of their responsible officer, that any building is not provided
with a proper sink, require the owner or occupier to provide
Such a sink under section 49 of the Public Health Acts
Amendment Act, 1907. Unfortunately the phraseology of
this section is somewhat vague and its practical value is,
moreover, considerably reduced by reason of the fact that no
provision is made for enforcing the laying on of a water
Supply to any sink which an owner may be required to
provide. In this connection it may be observed that a sink
without a water supply and draw-off cock over the same is as
inconvenient to the householder as a water-closet without a
flushing apparatus.
House to House Inspection.
The provisions of Section 17 of the Housing, Town
Planning, Etc., Act, 1909, and the regulations made thereunder
by the Local Government Board, impose upon every
local authority the duty of causing to be made from time to
time inspection of their district, with a view to ascertain
whether any dwelling-house therein is in a state so dangerous
or injurious to health as to be unfit fox human habitation.
The inspections made under this heading are classified
as "Housen to-House Inspections," and each house is carefully
surveyed. The scope of the investigations is of a comprehensive
character, including all matters connected with the
dwelling-houses which are likely to prove prejudicial to health,
such as the structure of the houses generally, the conditions
of the drains and Sanitary appliances, water supply and
storage, yard paving, storage of refuse, condition of the
dwelling-houses in regard to light, free circulation of air,
dampness and cleanliness, overcrowding and as to the exist-