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" For the rest I would say that we here in Kensington, must
continue to strive to discover nuisances and cases of overcrowding,
and deal with them as best we may, having regard to all the circumstances
in each case, a course in which we are assisted by a
Sanitary Aid Committee connected with the Mansion House
Council for improving the dwellings of the poor. But I must add
that much more is being done in regard to these matters, in the
Metropolis generally, by the sanitary authorities, than the general
public know or suspect; as might be assumed from a continuously
declining death-rate, especially from preventable diseases, and as
may be seen by reference to the reports of Medical Officers of
Health and Sanitary Inspectors published in connection with the
annual reports of the Vestries and District Boards. How indifferent
the public are may be inferred from the fact that these
volumes, full of information of the most valuable kind, year by
year encumber the shelves of the local authority, although the
number printed is not very large, and the statutory price to the
ratepayer is but twopence."
A draft report to the Vestry on the above communication
from the Local Government Board, submitted for the consideration
of the Works, etc., Committee (but not adopted), is cited here
as furnishing a logical answer to the implied condemnation of
sanitary authorities for assumed neglect of duty. It suggested
that the Committee should Report—
" With reference to the letter of the President of the Local
Government Board on ' Dwellings of the Labouring Classes,' and
the Report of the Medical Officer of Health thereon, referred by
the Vestry, December 11th :
" 1. That your Committee are acquainted with the provisions
of the Acts cited in the letter, and are constantly
giving effect to such of them as are applicable to the
circumstances of the Parish.
" 2. That considerable delay is frequently experienced in
proceedings for the abatement of nuisances under the
provisions of the Nuisances Removal Acts which is
unavoidable in the present state of the law.