View report page

67
For the first three months of Webb's appointment very full reports
were brought to me of the houses inspected, and many valuable facts
came to light; for example, the inspection included a census of the men,
women, and children of every house, a piece of information we have frequently
been in want of in the foregoing report. But it was found that so much time
and writing were required to obtain these results, independently of the
analyses of them which I took upon myself, that we were obliged to curtail
the returns to an enumeration of those points in which the houses were found
deficient. The immediate cause of the change was the alarm of cholera, which
carr.e from Stratford; it was necessary that the house survey should be more
rapid, and accordingly for a while Webb had the co-operation of Inspector
Mayes in house-visitation, until it was found that other duties were neglected
under this arrangement, and Mayes was obliged to return to them. The great
inequality of the results obtained by the three Inspectors, as shown in the Table
which follows, is intelligible from the preceding statements. (See next page.)
I trust that the figures on this table will be compared with the results
obtained in 1856. The immense increase in the works done is solely due to
the appointment of the Sanitary Inspector. This table represents an outlay of
several thousands of pounds, incurred by individuals at the instance of your
Board, with enormous profit to the district, and scarcely any expense to the
rates.
The ordinary mode of procedure has been under the Nuisances Removal
Act, though in one or two cases notices have been served under the Metropolis
Local Management Act; but no works have required to be executed in pursuance
of the provisions of this latter statute.
The mode of operation has been for the Sanitary inspector to examine
the houses of a street in rotation; to serve notices for the improvement of
those which are found defective; to call several times to see that the works
are commenced, and several other times to see them fairly carried into
execution. The notice approved by the Surveyor and Medical Officer is signed
by the Clerk: in case of neglect it is followed by a semi-official letter from
the Medical Officer of Health, calling attention to its provisions, and urging
the necessity of the works in a sanitary point of -view. If .still no action is
taken, the matter has been brought before the Sanitary Committee, with the
opinion of the Officers on the case; tliey present recommendations to the
Board, and proceedings before a Magistrate are then generally ordered to be
taken. I believe all the cases have been more or less successful that have
been brought before a Magistrate.