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House Inspection.—As a result of inspections made on
complaint, or in consequence of the occurrence of infectious
disease, request by occupiers, or other general inspections,
1,115 houses were visited. Table iii. shews a list of sanitary
works executed at these houses, together with defects remedied
during house to house inspection.
I would like to point out in this connection the amount of
difficulty experienced in having the necessary repairs, etc.,
effected. In the majority of cases this is not due to any wilful
negligence on the part of the owners, nor to any desire to evade
their responsibility, but to their inability through lack of funds.
In a number of cases, on receipt of communication, the owner
calls at the Office and states plainly the circumstances of the
case and an arrangement is then come to whereby, providing
the serious defects such as roofs, gutters, dampness, etc., are
remedied, the remainder of the work is permitted to be done
at a later date. This oftentimes leads to more work being
done than is required by the Notice, as the owner appreciates
assistance rendered to him and is anxious to keep his property
in as good condition as possible. There are, of course, certain
owners who appear to have made a rule to do no work whatever
until the receipt of a Statutory Notice from the Local Authority,
followed by a letter from the Town Clerk. Fortunately, these
owners are few in number.
Overcrowding.—My Report on this subject is but a repetition
of previous Reports. Notwithstanding the number of houses
erected during the year conditions have not materially improved,
mainly because the houses are built for sale and are not of the
type required, or which could be afforded, by the families
affected.
A typical case which one finds extremely difficult to deal with
is as follows:—A man and his wife with two small children
moved into a flat consisting of two bedrooms and one living room
about eighteen years ago. The family has now increased and
there are seven children ranging from three years to twenty-five
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