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"and developing his estate, subject to the Council agreeing to sell for a reasonable
"sum the frontages abutting on Sandy Row, and assisting to expedite the
"formation of the new roads and the closing of the several courts and alleys. It
"is proposed to close all existing courts and alleys, and to form a 40-feet street
"from Wentworth Street, parallel to Sandy's Row and Bell Lane, continuing the
"street round Tripe Yard into Sandy's Row, and to widen Cobb's Yard into a
"40-feet street. Upon the formation of the roads, the land remaining will be
"utilized for shops and domestic dwellings. The clearance of most of the proper"ties
can be effected at once, but a small portion is held on leases which expire in
"1922 and 1930. Sir A. Osborn's agents hope to be able to come to terms with
"the tenants of these properties for a surrender of their interests before the expiry
"of their leases. In the event, however, of an arrangement not being come to on
"this point, we propose that the Council should ce-operate with Sir A. Osborn by
"putting in force the provisions of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890,
"with a view to acquiring compulsorily suoh of the leasehold interests as he may
"be unable to obtain possession of within a reasonable time, the Council being
"reimbursed the cost of such acquisition."
Then follows some details as to the prices agreed upon, and the proposed
recommendation to the Council.
I quite expected to have seen some evidence before now that the " Bell
Lane area " scheme was at last likely to be an accomplished fact—but
whatever the cause of the delay may be at present, the area remains in a
worse state than ever. I am afraid it will be necessary for me to ask the
Board to intervene with regard to some parts of the area.
I do not propose to say much about the water supply in the District as a
Royal Commission is now enquiring into the whole matter of the Metropolitan
Water Supply. In the summer, some excitement was created by
the report that short allowance was given in some parts of the District, and
I gave up a week out of my holiday to enquire into the complaints and to
report upon them. The subject also was brought before Parliament. An
accident to one of the mains appeared to be the cause, and when this was
rectified, no more than the customary occasional inconveniences were
met with. No fault has been found with the quality of water supplied to
the District by the two Companies who have the monopoly of supply in
their hands.
OLD AGE DEATHS.
Age Distribution of the Deaths. Sub-Registration Districts Distribution.
Between the ages of 80 and 85 24 Spitalfields Sub-District 15
,, ,, 85 and 90 7 Mile End New Town 6
Above the age of 90 4 Whitechapel Church 9
Goodman's Fields ,, 5
Registered Cause of the above Deaths: —
Old Age 19
Heart Disease 3
Nervous Diseases 6
Respiratory Diseases 4
Digestive Diseases 1
Other Diseases 2
Total 35
In the Whitechapel Church Sub-Registration District a woman, aged 95,
died from Bronchitis.
Three deaths were not legally certified during the year. In the case of
a female child, aged 10 months, of 11, Booth Street Buildings, the Coroner
did not deem it necessary to hold an Inquest, and the cause of death was
therefore "unknown."