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of the Vestry thereon, together with information as to the precise objects to
which the premises arc to be put ; I am directed to inform you in reply thereto,
that the Vestry have for some long time past been endeavouring to secure
premises for the purpose of providing, free of charge, temporaly shelter or house
accommodation for the members of any family in which any dangerous or
infectious disease has appeared, who have been compelled to leave their dwelling
for the purpose of enabling such dwellings to be disinfected by the Sanitary
Authority, in accordance with sub-section 4 of section 60 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891; and it was upon the advice of Dr. Shaw, the Vestry's
Medical Officer of Health (who had been instructed, in conjunction with the
Chief Sanitary Inspector, to search the Parish for suitable premises), that the
house in question was purchased. The following is a copy of the Report made to
the Vestry by the Medical Ollicer of Health upon the subject:—
"After three days' search with the Chief Sanitary Inspector in various
"parts of the Parish, this house is, in my opinion, the most eligible site
" now to be found. In the first place, it is an entire house; this of course is
"an important point, indeed, an absolute necessity. Upon careful examina"tion,
the premises appeared convenient and quite suitable for the purposes
"they are proposed to be put to, for with very little outlay they can be
"adapted to the needs of the Parish. In my judgment, the surroundings of
"the house are less objectionable than any other premises visited, being
"almost entirely closed in, having no connection with three portions of
"premises abutting upon it. The only objectionable feature is, that it is
"situated in a rather narrow street (not a court or alley); but this
"narrowness I fear will hold true of most of the streets in the Parish where
"premises might be met with. The house, however, will in all probability
"be very little used, but the clothes and bedding of those who may be
"obliged to use it will be disinfected before removal, and every precaution
"taken to carry out the removal with as little display and fuss as possible."
The Board will therefore see that the Secretary of State has been misinformed, as
the Vestry have not acquired the property for the purpose of establishing a
temporary shelter for persons suffering from infectious diseases,