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34
whose services could supplement the efforts of the
medical officers and the clergy, in visiting the homes
and haunts of the poor, the sick and needy, as well as
the unthrifty and dissipated, urging them by kindly
advice to give personal attention to matters relating to
unhealthy lodgings, vicious social habits, negligence in
cooking, and other domestic influences belonging to
the prevention as well as treatment of disease. This
has long been felt to be a desideratum by those best
conversant with the operations of our out-door poor
law administration.
Open Spaces and Vacant Building Ground.
In the North-West part of the Parish, not less than
200 acres of fields are still open for building speculations.
Ground if not properly prepared for building
purposes, is often a dangerous nuisance, it gives out
organic eflluvia for many years, where it is made up
by "slop-shoots," street-refuse, and "hard-core." In
the new Building Bill for the Metropolis, and in the
Sanitary Laws Amendment Act, this is to be provided
for by suitable clauses, regulating the sub-soil drainage,
and the adoption of other precautions.
Open space for air and recreation is much wanted
for the dense population in the streets of the Harrow
Road District. A recreation ground will be called for
when it is too late to secure sufficient space to be
useful.* A few acres of the fields might possibly
now be got within a reasonable distance and at a
reasonable price. The Vestry should have power to
prevent this dense congregation of human beings,
• Since writing this Report, a new workman's city, to be
called the "Queen's Park," is proposed for 80 acres situated in this
District.