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While the accumulation of house refuse during seven days, in a dustbin kept in the yard
or garden of a self-contained house, or its daily removal from a well appointed block of flats inflicts
but little inconvenience on the occupants, the position is not quite so simple in the case of families
occupying a portion of one of the larger dwellings which have been converted into flats or which
have been let without particular adaptation to several families under the euphemistic name
of "maisonettes." Here the daily collection does not apply ; it is not possible to keep a dustbin
in the dwelling, nor is it possible to dispose of any quantity by burning.
House refuse has to be brought down flights of stairs to a common space which is occupied
by a collection of receptacles in varying conditions of efficiency, while a considerable amount is
spilled on the ground between.
While the additional expense of more frequent collection is obvious, an extension to
dwellings of this character would be advantageous to the occupants both physically and
psychologically.
Frequent complaints were received during the year from annoyance arising from the
burning of papers, cardboard boxes, etc., in the yards of tradesmen's premises. The arrangement
under which trade refuse is removed on payment of a charge and the limited removal of what
may be described as partial domestic refuse from shops, are not sufficiently attractive to prevent
the disposal on the premises of a certain amount by burning and consequent inconvenience being
caused to persons living in flats over shop premises.
If any more generous scale could be devised for the removal of combustible trade refuse,.
much discomfort would be prevented.
Sanitary Inspection.
The details of this work, which include domestic sanitation, housing inspection, supervision
of food supplies (including milk, meat and other foods), the investigation and abatement of
nuisances, the sanitation of workshops and. factories, the supervision of offensive trades, the
investigation of and disinfection after the occurrence of cases of infectious disease and the
storage of petrol and carbide of calcium, will be found under the appropriate headings. The
figures give some indication of the attention needed to secure effective supervision in this very
important branch of public health work.
The total number of inspections and re-inspections carried out during the year was 8,737.
The visits paid in respect of each branch of the duties of the inspectors are set out under each
heading.
In consequence of these visits, notices were served on owners or occupiers as follows :—
Informal notices (intimations) served 448
Informal notices complied 404
Statutory notices served 16
Statutory notices complied 11
Domestic Sanitation.
The duties of visiting premises after complaint, of housing inspections, the investigation
of alleged nuisances, the investigation of cases of infectious disease, and the necessary actions
by way of disinfection of dwellings, together with the multifarious other tasks which confront
the Sanitary Inspector in his daily round, have been carried out actively and effectively by the
Inspectors. Following is a summary of the visits paid during the year :—
Visits to premises after complaint 608
Visits after occurrence of infectious disease 140
Visits under Housing Regulations 110
Total visits and inspections 8737
The following works were carried out in consequence of the above visits :—
Drains tested 33
Drains unstopped and repaired 100
Waste pipes disconnected or repaired 28
Soil pipes provided or repaired 8
Inspection chambers inserted 5
Complete drainage reconstructions 11
Water supply cisterns repaired 8
Draw taps from main provided 18
Gutters repaired 65
Roofs repaired 176
W.c. apartments repaired or re-built 21
W.c's repaired 83
Dustbins provided 114
Damp walls remedied 135
Ventilation provided 20
Yards paved or repaired 35
Rooms stripped and cleansed 137
Offensive accumulations removed 23
Other Works carried out 676