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and came from all parts of town. The doors and all interior
wood fittings had been more or less destroyed and carried off;
the water supply had been cut off, and the waterclosets were in
a filthy state. I had already reported some months previously that
the houses were unfit for human habitation (under Torrens' Act) and
your Yestry's surveyor had reported as to the reparations
necessary to make them habitable. For a long time no
" owner " could be found, and when at last an agent of the
owner was found no disposition was shown to repair the houses,
and the agent professed his inabdity to clear out the inhabitants.
Proceedings were therefore taken in the police-court and
the houses were closed by justice's order; the inhabitants were
removed, and the doors and windows were boarded up. The
houses cannot be legally re-occupied without a further order of
the magistrate, rescinding the former order, and declaring
them fit for human habitation.
SANITARY WANTS.
Mortuary and Disinfecting Chamber are still among our sanitary
wants. In the (withdrawn) Public Health (Metropolis) Bill,
1877, the President of the Local Government Board proposed to
take power to enable the Board to compel the erection of mortuaries,
but without making any provision to enable local authorities
to acquire sites. In this parish, as in others probably, the difficulty
of obtaining a suitable site for a mortuary is a real hindrance to the
carrying out of the intention of your Vestry; but it is a difficulty
which, nevertheless, might be overcome. I am of opinion still, however,
that the proper site for a mortuary is the disused burial ground
at the rear of the Vestry Hall; and should this site ultimately
become available, no doubt an arrangement could be effected for
holding inquests in the Vestry Hall, thus avoiding the necessity
which now drives the Coroner, the jury, and the witnesses (the latter
often in a state of much mental distress) to the public-house.
Although we have no Disinfecting Chamber, I cannot say
the poor parishioners have been losers from the want of it, for in
every case where infectious disease has occurred, all infected articles
have been thoroughly disinfected, cleansed also, and returned
in a wholesome condition to the owners. This could not have
been done had we simply possessed a disinfecting chamber
of whatever construction. The work has been satisfactorily
carried out by the firm to which your Vestry have delegated it:
but the expense, it need scarcely be added, has been considerable :
amounting in the last twelve months (August, 1876, to July,
1877) to the sum of £246 lis. 0d The number of articles disinfected
was 4,114, including 553 beds and mattresses, 1,528 articles
of bedding, (sheets, blankets, bolsters, pillows, &c.,) 668 articles
of adults and children's clothing, besides carpets, curtains, &c.