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Opening Up of Drains under Section 41 of the Public
Health Act, 1875.—As a result of the application of the smoke
or chemical tests, it was found necessary to exercise the
powers with respect to the opening up of ground and exposing
of drains granted to the Local Authority by this Section, at
four houses, authority first having been obtained from the
Council, and due written notice given to the occupier in each
case. The conditions found were duly reported to the Public
Health Committee, and notices served on their instruction
requiring the reconstruction or amendment of the defective
drains, etc., as the circumstances required.
House Drainage.—The drainage systems and sanitary
arrangements of 17 houses have been entirely reconstructed,
extensive amendments or repairs were carried out at 56 other
houses, and at 22 houses the drainage systems have been made
water-tight by the patent internal process.
House to House Inspection.—During the year, house to
house surveys were carried out at 451 houses. The following
list shows the particular streets, and the number of houses
inspected in each. A list of the work carried out at the
houses is included in Table III., p. 27.
Beehive Buildings 51
Ridley Road 52
Latimer Road 43
Wycliffe Road 37
Palmerston Road 115
Graham Road 153
451
House Inspection.—Either as a result of inspections made
on complaint, in consequence of the occurrence of infectious
disease, request by occupiers, and other general inspections,
704 houses were visited. Table III. shows a list of sanitary
works executed at these houses, together with defects
remedied, jluring house to house inspection.
Overcrowding.—In previous Annual Reports, I have
expressed my regret at being unable to report material
improvements in the housing conditions existing in the
district. My observations this year, I regret to say, must
be a reiteration of these statements, owing chiefly to the fact
that houses for the occupation of the working classes are not
being erected, and the majority of persons living in overcrowded
conditions are unable to avail themselves of the only
remedy, that of purchasing their own houses.
The Committee considered it would only be adding to the
burdens of these persons if prosecutions were instituted in
the Courts. As time goes on, the families concerned, in some
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