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97
magisterial aid." The delays were simply intolerable. I am able
to bear witness to a great improvement in this respect, since acting
upon a recommendation I made in 1878, your Vestry have authorised
proceedings before the magistrates sitting at the Vestry Hall
—an arrangement by which much time has been saved, besides
securing in nearly every instance the object in view. We have
cause to be grateful to the magistrates for their willingness to
take our cases, adding considerably as they do to the time devoted
by them to the administration of justice, and for the useful work
they have done by their decisions in helping forward sanitaiy
improvement.
During the year ended March 25th, 1882, summonses were
issued in 104 cases, and "Orders" for giving effect to your
Vestry's Notices were made by the magistrates in nearly every
instance. Frequently one summons covered several requirements,
as would be inferred from the following summary of works carried
out under the " Orders."
In connection with water supply, magistrates' orders were made
as follow:—In 14 cases to provide an adequate supply where none
existed, generally because the water had been "cut off"; for the
provision of new cisterns in lieu of old water butts, for the repair
of defective cisterns, covering of cisterns, repair of supply apparatus,
abolition of waste-pipes, &c., 18; for the rectification of
water-closet accommodation, including provision of water supply,
86 ; for the construction or amendment of drainage, cutting off
wastes from drains, &c., 17; and in 17 for cleansing and whitewashing
houses, for repairing structural defects usually, of the
roof, 8; for the provision or repair of ashes receptacles 10, and for
paving a courtyard 1. Penalties for neglect to carry out the requirements
of your Vestry were inflicted in most of the cases,
generally nominal in amount, but in some cases as high as £5;
in other cases the works having been done, or mitigating explanations
having been offered, the defendants were let off on payment
of costs. Several orders were made for the removal of offensive
accumulations of animal and vegetable refuse, dead animals, &c.,
and in two cases fines of £2 were imposed for neglect to remove
manure periodically, as required by the regulations. Orders were