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70
of the sick room and the laundry, and from the communication established
between the two by the movements of the boy's relatives, there
had been an exposure of the washed things to infection: those things
were sent home without previous disinfection, and the offence was such
an one as the section contemplated. This, however, being a first case,
and the Vestry not wishing to press the matter heavily against the
defendant, he should impose a mitigated penalty; but, having regard
to the great importance of the subject in a public point of view, he
desired to state that, while each case that might be brought before
him would be dealt with on its merits, he should not hesitate in any
future case, when the offence was fairly brought home, to inflict the
full penalty of five pounds.
Richmond Gardens.—The wretched and dilapidated group of houses
lying back from New Street, Brompton, which bears this delusive title,
had long been a source of considerable trouble to the Inspector of
the district. During 1878 the tenants lived rent free, no owner appearing
on the scene, and day by day the houses and back offices fell
into a more and more unwholesome and dilapidated condition. It
appeared useless to serve notices for the abatement of nuisances under
the circumstances, I, therefore, gave a certificate under Torrens' Act
to the effect that the houses were unfit for human habitation. Your
Vestry's surveyor inspected them, and submitted a report of the works
necessary to make them fit for habitation. Your clerk, however, was
unable to find an owner on whom to serve copies of our reports, and as
a dernier ressort he applied to the Magistrate at the Hammersmith
Police Court for an order to close the houses. The magistrate refused
to grant an order, and directed summonses to be taken out against the
"owner," and to be affixed to the premises. This was done without
effect, until suddenly a claimant turned up and at once took steps to
eject the tenants, thus substantially complying with our requirements.
MORTUARY.
"A public mortuary is still among the sanitary desiderata in Kensington,
but negotiations are in progress, the issue of which will
probably have the effect of removing the opprobrium from this important
parish of being without a suitable temporary resting place for
the dead—necessary alike for the convenience of poor parishioners
to whom such accommodation would often prove a great boon, and
for the reception of the bodies of unknown persons who may die or
be killed in the public streets. Hitherto, in such cases of sudden or