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51
diately on the discovery of a nuisance—a step which, in a great
number of cases, would effect all that is necessary.
"The Inspectors should leave the office punctually at 10 o'clock,
and proceed without delay to their several districts : and when
they can more conveniently reach the scene of the day's duty by
railway, your Committee recommend that they be authorised to do
so by taking a third-class ticket, the cost of which will be trifling
in comparison with the value of the time saved. The chief duty
of an inspector is the systematic inspection of the houses occupied
by the poorer classes, and houses let out in tenements.
And in connection with this all-important duty your Committee
would submit that the time has arrived when the 35th section of
the Sanitary Act, 1866, should be put into operation—the
section enabling the President of the Local Government Board, on
the application of the Nuisance Authority, to empower the said
authority to make regulations as to lodging-houses, viz.:—
1. For fixing the number of persons who may occupy a
house or part of a house which is let in lodgings, or
occupied by members of more than one family.
2. For the registration of houses thus let or occupied in
lodgings.
3. For the inspection of such houses, and the keeping the
same in a cleanly and wholesome state.
4. For enforcing therein the provision of privy accommodation,
and other appliances and means of cleanliness in
proportion to the number of lodgings and occupiers,
and the cleansing and ventilation of the common passages
and staircases.
5. For the cleansing and lime-whiting at stated times of
such premises.
"The Act enables your Vestry as the 'Nuisance Authority.' to
provide for the enforcement of the above regulations by penalties
for default: and duly carried out as it might and should be
with the proposed increase in the sanitary staff, it would constitute
an important fresh point of departure in the progressive efforts
of your Vestry to improve the health of the people.
"The details of the duties of the Inspectors under the several
Acts of Parliament relating to the prevention of the spread of infectious
diseases and to Slaughter Houses, Cowsheds, Bakehouses,
&c., will have to be settled by the Medical Officer of Health,
but your Committee desire to record their opinion and to recommend
that each slaughter-house and cowshed should be visited
once in every month at the least, and each bakehouse once in
two months. Among other principal duties of the office may be
cited the following, viz., regular attention to the condition of mews
and generally to the state of the streets in respect to cleanliness,