View report page

22
These facts clearly show the great need there is in the District for
sound healthy cottages such as these. In parts of the District a number
of old unhealthy cottages still remain, many of which ought to be
pulled down, and which would be straightway condemned except for the
fact that there are no others for the occupants to go in to if this were
done. This state of things is far from satisfactory and hampers our
efforts for sanitary improvements in this direction. It is the cause of
much ill health and lowered vitality amongst those that inhabit them,
and an indirect danger to the whole community.
There is no more useful or necessary sanitary reform you could
undertake than the erection of good, wholesome cottages, and I strongly
recommend you to seriously consider the question of building more of
them in the immediate future.
In the meantime with regard to old existing cottages, owners
could do a great deal more than is at present done towards making this
class of property more sound and healthy by carrying out requisite
repairs and cleansing more frequently than is now the case, without
waiting for the Sanitary Authority to enforce those necessary measures
which property owners ought to carry out on their own responsibility.
Roads. The following roads are being made up under the 150th
section of the Public Health Act:—Palmerston Crescent and Elandale
Road, at Palmers Green, and the Westbury, Goring, and Queen's Roads, at
Bowes Park.
With regard to the paving and draining of the back entrance ways
to shops and business premises in different parts of the District on1 which
I reported in my last Annual Report, I regret to say that up to the
present time nothing has been done except that notices to pave, &c.,
have been served on the owners of one of these.
The condition of these backways is worse than ever, and I am of
opinion that this matter should not be allowed to drift, but that they
should be paved and drained as soon as possible.
Avenue Road.-This road has for a long time been in a deplorable
condition, and in the winter months is frequently almost impassable for
ordinary traffic. There are now a considerable number of houses and
cottages on either side of the road and in its immediate neighbourhood.
The traffic along it is considerable and would be much greater if it were
in a better condition. I recently reported on this matter in Committee,
and think that something ought soon to be done to improve this road.
Food and Drugs Act.—Seeing that very few samples for examination
and analysis appear to be taken in this District by the County
Council, in whose hands the administration of this Act is, and that in
the interests of the Public Health it is desirable that more such samples
should be taken, I venture to suggest that you communicate with the
County Council generally on the matter.