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and an appeal was therefore made to the Local Government Board. The Board,
however, held the same opinion as the London County Council on the question, but
they pointed out that if the Shoreditch Borough Council desired the sanitary inspectors
to continue to supervise the construction of new drains they should be specially appointed
for the purpose, and separate salaries should be assigned to them, no proportion
of which would be repayable by the London County Council. Several other
Boroughs in the Metroplis were in a similar position to Shoreditch in the matter, and as
the result of a Conference, held at the Camberwell Town Hall, on July 13th, the
Local Government Board were asked to amend the Order of December, 8th, 1901, so
as to include the supervision of the.original construction of drainage works amongst
the duties specified. The Local Government Board were, however, unable to accede
to the request. The matter then came under the consideration of the Health Committee
as to the steps to be taken under the circumstances, and the Committee, after
due consideration, recommended that 1¼ per cent, of each sanitary inspector's salary
should be allocated in respect to the duty of supervising the original construction of
drainage work as being the amount to be deducted before the moiety of the remaining
salary is claimed from the London County Council. The Borough Council adopted
this recommendation, and the Local Government Board were informed accordingly.
The Board offered no objection to this arrangement, but made a request to be
furnished with particulars as to the arrangement, and a list of the sanitary inspectors
affected, showing the exact scale of salary proposed to be paid to each for the work of
supervising the original construction of drains. Eventually it was agreed that £2 10s.
should be deducted in the case of the Chief Inspector, and £2 in the case of the other
inspectors.
During the year the Health Department lost the services of a valuable officer
through the death of Mr. C. H. Quelch, who was for twelve years one of the Sanitary
Inspectors of Shoreditch. He was a very able and efficient officer, and his loss is
much regretted by his brother officers. During his illness and until his successor was
appointed the work on his district was attended to by the Chief Inspector and
Inspectors Firth and Langstone. Mr. J. S. Clements, for some two years assistant
Inspector under the Willesden Urban District Council, was appointed to the vacant
post on July 21st, and commenced his duties in Shoreditch, on August 31st.
I desire to express my satisfaction as to the manner in which the officers of the
Health Department have discharged their duties during the year, and my thanks are
due to them for the assistance they have afforded me in connection with the work of the
department. I also desire to express my indebtedness to the chairmen and members
of the Health Committee for the consideration and help which I have received from
them in respect to my official work during the year.
I have the honour to be,
Mr, Mayor and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
LEWIS T. FEASER BEYETT,
Medical Officer of Health,