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22
by the Dust Inspector, chiefly however in the houses of
the poor.
There were no less than 6262 nuisances abated during the
year, which is the largest number recorded, as will be seen in the
tabular statement, for twenty years. The total number from
defective drainage was 1149, of which 613 consisted of choked or
defective drains, 263 of deficient or defective traps, 113 of yards
badly drained, and 137 of water-closet pans choked. There were
4020 nuisances arising from sanitary deficiences in connection
with the houses themselves, viz., 2047 in which the houses were
dirty and dilapidated, or both; 1493 in which the water supply
or apparatus was defective; 11 in which the ventilation was
defective and could be improved; 469 from absence of dust-bins*
and 275 from badly paved yards. Accumulations of manure
were removed from 98 premises; 37 pigs and pig-sties were
removed from 37 yards, and 31 cases of overcrowding abated.
As regards the overcrowding I am pleased to say that the manner
in which the law has been enforced of late has year by year
diminished the number of overcrowding cases, whilst the publicity
which has been given to their details, including the publication of
the houses in which they were found, has, I believe, induced
landlords to exercise greater care as regards the number of their
tenants. From these causes, as I think, I have not the unpleasant
duty of bringing before you any of the dreadful instances of
indecent occupation such as have been mentioned in every one of
my late reports. I have been considered by many to have been
injudicious in thus holding up the dark spots in our district to
the light, but I am quite sure that when landlords know that the
houses in which indecent overcrowding is met with are specified
in my annual report, they will avoid, if possible, having their
houses inserted in my black list.
As regards many of the defects in houses met with during
our inspections, I have to report that they were found in both
old and new houses, and arose from the manner and the materials
from which they were constructed. Many of the small houses
and some of the larger have been built either on the sod, or still