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159
office, how extensive the area in which he works, and how
many the cases calling for his attention. The population of
the Parish in 1891 (167,000), was housed in about 22,000
houses. In these houses there resided 36,000 families, and the
tenements of less than five rooms each were 20,000. A very
large proportion of these tenement dwellings require attention,
and an amount of attention which it is at present impossible to
give to them. "Avernus" lies in a nutshell—but there are
many other crowded streets which, to a less extent, doubtless,but
still to a large extent, require, but do not get, the attention
necessary to enable the Sanitary Inspectors to enforce, in the
letter and the spirit, the requirements of recent sanitary legislation.
So much for my own views and for my own part in
respect of this matter.
The Works and Sanitary Committee, at their Meeting
on the 27th February, resolved to make an inspection of the
district,as defined, for the first time, in the first of the resolutions
of the " Conference," and to request the co-operation and
assistance of Mr. Lloyd, L.C.C., the Chairman of the Conference,
Mr. Frye, M.P., the Rev. Dr. Williamson and the Rev.
C. E. T. Roberts, to each of whom a communication was
addressed by the Vestry Clerk, as follows:—■
" Adverting to the articles and correspondence which have recently appeared in
the public press relative to the condition of certain streets in Notting Dale,
I am directed to acquaint you that the Vestry's Works and Sanitary
Committee have decided to make a special inspection of the district in
question on Thursday next the 2nd proxo., and will meet with that object
at this Hall at two o'clock that afternoon. I am further desired by the
Committee to invite yourself and those other gentlemen who have taken
an active interest in the matter, to meet the Committee, on this occasion ;
and to accompany them on their visit to the locality. If you could also,
between this and Thursday, furnish the Committee with any specific cases
within your own knowledge of—(a) Streets in which the public sewers
are, or are believed to be, defective; (b) Houses in an insanitary condition;
and (c) Houses in which pases of overcrowding are known or reasonably
suspected to exist, the Committee would esteem it a favour, and they will
of course, if it is wished, treat the source of the information as being
confidential,"