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The canal boat "Mole," registered Berkhamsted, No. 334, was inspected in
May, when the following defects were found :—
After cabin—Registered for four persons, but occupied by man, wife and
five children; cabin to be painted. Fore cabin—Very damp, sides
wet and dirty; stove to be fixed.
The boat was again inspected in August, and the following infringements
still existed:—
After cabin—Still occupied by man, wife and five children. Fore cabin—
Damp and dirty, flooring and stove defective.
The boat was inspected in September, when there was no overcrowding.
On a further inspection of the boat in November, the following infringements
were found to exist :—
After cabin—Occupied by man, wife and five children; cabin top leaky, floor
broken and stove funnel defective; paintwork dirty. Fore cabin—
Damp, floor broken.
Notices were sent to the owner. In November I recommended to the Port
Sanitary Committee that the matter should be placed in the hands of the City
Solicitor. This was done. The Solicitor decided to apply for summonses against
the owner and the master, the former in respect to the structurally defective and
uninhabitable conditions of the cabins—the primary cause of the trouble—and the
master in respect of the overcrowding.
The summonses were granted, returnable at the Tower Bridge Police Court
in December, and the hearing was adjourned to the 19th January in order that
the owner might carry out his undertaking to remedy the defects.*
(5) The total number of infringements found was 277 on 89 boats. Formal
notice of the serious infringements was given to the owners, and in many cases they
were remedied without further action.
The number of such notices was 70, and the number which has been certified as
attended to was 49. Of the complaints issued in the year now under review, 64.2 percent.were
remedied.
(6) Infectious Disease—No case of infectious disease has been reported on any
canal boat in the Port of London during the year.
Double Bulkheads—There were no infringements with regard to the provision
of these.
(7) No boats have been detained for cleansing.
(8) On December 31st, 1911, there were 258 boats on the Register.
(9) Six boats were registered in 1911. These were all new boats.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
Medical Officer of Health, Port of London.
* The work necessary to remedy the defects was subsequent ly carried out, and the owner paid the legal costs of the proceedings.