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12
The total number of houses inspected during the year was
extremely large in consequence of the additional assistance
already referred to, which was given to the Sanitary department.
The question as to the steps necessary to he taken in view of the
probability of an outbreak of Cholera was referred by you to
the Sanitary Committee, who engaged a sub.inspector for
several months to visit the houses in which it was considered
likely that there was not any water.supply to the closets.
Also to ascertain if the sink.wastes were cut off from
the drains or not, if there were bell.traps instead of proper
traps in the yard, areas, wash.houses, and sinks. This work
had been progressing for two years, but in consequence of the
inadequacy of the staff to do more than the ordinary work of
inspection, it had been carried out very slowly. A man was also
engaged to assist the dust.inspector in visiting the smaller
houses to ascertain if there were accumulations of dust thereon,
and in this way the dust.inspector was able, on three days in
the week, to assist in the general inspection, but did not serve
notices. Under these arrangements as many as 7,538 houses
were inspected, when a large number were found to be wanting
in some sanitary requirements, whilst in very many cases more
than one defect was found.
The number of houses to which an improved water.supply
or water.supply apparatus was given was very large, as water
was laid on to the closets in 1,111 houses, and in many others
notices were served, but the work was not completed at the end
of the year, and the final results will be reported in my report
for 1884. There were also as many as 524 houses in which
flushing boxes were introduced, because the cisterns flushed the
closets as well as the domestic supply. This is, I am sorry to
say, by no means an uncommon arrangement, which I trust
will soon be a thing of the past. The powers possessed by this
Board to remedy this very objectionable arrangement are neither
large nor certain, but the "Water Companies have full power to
alter it. In 25 instances the water.supply was drawn from