View report page

60
served the necessary notices on Messrs. Reynolds and Eason, and I wrote to
them to the effect that, if the work was not proceeded with quicker, police
court proceedings would be taken. I again wrote to say that if a satisfactory
number of men be not employed on the premises within a week, summonses
would be applied for at the Police Court. Messrs. Reynolds and Eason retired.
Fresh notices were served on the "Owner," and left on the premises.
Summonses were taken out against the owner, also to be served on the premises.
Unfortunately, the warrant officer, in serving the summonses, served the lot
on Mr. Gershon Harris's son at No. 1 block. He told the warrant officer he
was the son of the owner, and would accept service. Mr. Harris, junior,
denied this afterwards at the Police Court.
It will thus be seen the amount of trouble this property has lately caused
us. In the meantime, the conditions in the early part of 1907 were worse
than in November, 1906. For instance, in three blocks the boards in the
passages were defective, and were taken up in order that the passages should
be properly paved. The work was stopped, with the result that there was
nothing but bare earth in the passages. The drains became blocked, and
were exposed. They were seen to be badly constructed, the fall being in
the wrong direction in some instances, and large holes were observed in the
pipes. In fact it was necessary to have the drains entirely reconstructed. for
want of means this could not be done, and the drains were allowed to remain
in this exposed condition for a considerable time. Some of the yards became
flooded with sewage.
The total number of notices served with respect to these premises since
the Borough Council has been in existence is 1,566 and 84 summonses have
been taken out at the Police Court. In addition to the above, I have
personally written letters to the owner urging him to comply with the notices
without further delay, and threatening him with legal proceedings in default
thereof.
The owner has been mulcted in fines to the amount of £48 Is. and £71 12s.
costs.
Proceeding's under the Metropolis Local
Management Act.
September 27th. Miss Lewis, of Lye Green, Witham, Sussex, was
summoned for not complying with a notice of the Council, to remedy the
drain at York Buildings, Limehouse, which was in bad order and condition.
She was fined £2 and 23s. costs.