View report page

100
houses and the necessity of carefully supervising each case both as regards
the assistance given and the work required to the houses.
The actual number of houses dealt with is as follows:—
Middlesex Wharf 31
Essex Wharf 8
Prince of Wales Terrace and vicinity 4
Dockway 7
High Hill Ferry 8
Spring Lane 20
G. H. Dart,
Medical Officer of Health.
The following newspaper account is too delightfully worded not to record for
the amusement of persons really interested in public health matters and uninterested
in "stunting" for its own sake; the usual references to "officialdom"
and so forth by what I have seen described as " publicity experts " are commonplace,
the following is really amusing:—
Newspaper Extract.
“My sympathy for those affected is beaten in strength only by absolute
disgust that the Public Health Committee and officers of the Hackney
Council could permit such a state of affairs. For years now this area has
on occasions been under water, yet no serious attempt has been made to
prevent a recurrence. During the many years I have been connccted with
North London the Hackney Council has voted hundreds of thousands of
pounds to pet schemes and other ventures, yet no one has ever thought of the
plight of dwellers in this particular spot or the inconvenience of travellers
who have to go miles out of their way.
It is too ridiculous for words to think that such a state of affairs could
exist in Municipal London, and it reflects very adversely on those who are
responsible. Of course, the trouble is due to the fact that the area is below
the high water level of the River Lee, but Holland has to contend with such
conditions throughout its country, and if the Dutch can keep its land dry by
the erection of retaining walls or earth dykes, surely Hackney can do likewise
for the comfort of its ratepayers. After the damage had been done, several
officials visited the spot and were full of praise for the optimism displayed
by the affected families, who are living under pitiful conditions, with their
homes swimming in filthy mud and slime. A small quantity of coal sent to
each house is a poor consolation for a ruined home, and the fuel would have
been better employed warming up those who are unequal to their task and
whose conception of Public Health is liver pills and Seidlitz powders.”
If the Public Health Department had been content merely to carry out the
duties laid upon the department by the responsible authorities, the service of
notice upon owners and their enforcement, of course, by the usual methods would
have covered all that could have legally been demanded of the department. It is
also interesting to note that the work of administering the Mayor's Relief Fund,
as regards further distribution of coal, wood, furniture, etc., was carried out
through the Public Health Department. The Sanitary Inspector for the district,
Mr. Crook, not only supervised the work on the houses affected, but obtained a
full list of all furniture and household goods damaged, arranged, at the request
of the Mayor's Relief Committee, with firms in the Borough to accept vouchers
for goods to be paid for by the Committee, gave out the vouchers and saw that
the goods were satisfactorily delivered. All damage to furniture and househok
effects was made good by the Relief Committee. This necessitated work up to a
late hour for some considerable time, work that was outside the official duties ot
the department, and for which there was, of course, no remuneration.