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17
the manner contemplated, and that instead of his building two rooms on
cach floor only one would be allowed. Notwithstanding my remonstrance
the houses were completed, each having two rooms on a floor; but the
builder complied, and apparently with effect, with the provisions of tho
Building Act by making a door-way between the houses, and then the two
houses were said to be only one house, and that the space in the rear was
100 square feet which was all that the Act required. This arrangement
was considered by the District Surveyor to be legally satisfactory; but when
the houses were tenanted the door-way was built up, thus again converting
the one house into two houses. The back rooms of these houses are lighted
and ventilated by a space only of 50 square feet.
The above-named courts cannot be, in my opinion, satisfactorily dealt
with under Torrens' Act, 1868, for the houses are not unfit for habitation
from any defective condition in point of repair, but the confined space on
which they stand, and the stagnant atmosphere which surrounds them, render
them unfit for habitation. Torrens' Act appears to refer to the defective
structural condition of the houses and not to the external surroundings of
the premises, which, from want of light and ventilation, is often the greater
evil; and if the Act does not provide a remedy in this respect it is a very
serious defect.
Sanitary Works Performed during the Quarter.
The following return shows the amount of work done by the Sanitary
Inspectors during the Quarter ending 30th September, 1876.
Number of inspections of houses as shown in the official returns 2544
Houses specially visited 199
Houses specially re-visited 555
Preliminary notices served, such notices embracing 277 premises 131
Compulsory orders issued, embracing 109 premises 54
Summonses heard at Police Courts, under Sanitary Act 0
Cellars used as dwellings discontinued for such use 1
Cases of overcrowding and indecent occupation abated 2
Houses in which rooms or passages have been whitewashed 150
Rooms disinfected with sulphurous-acid gas, after the occurrence of
fever and scarlet-fever therein 7
Articles disinfected in rooms, consisting of beds, bedding, clothing, &c. 55
Yards of houses paved or the pavement repaired 56
Drains in houses improved 95
Dust-bins provided 21
Privies lime-washed, cleansed and repaired 127
"Water supply provided or improved 21
Nuisances from dung and other offensive matter removed 23
Area gratiDgs, cellar flaps, &c., repaired 5
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
JOHN L1DDLE.
15, Great Alie Street.