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35
The Mortuary is kept in a clean state by the man employed by
the Board at the Stone Yard, and is thoroughly washed down each
week. Towels are provided for the use of those frequenting the
place.
In consequence of statements which are reported to have been
made of the neglect of Sanitary Authorities to perform their duty
of looking after the dwellings of the poor, I wish to bring under
your notice that in July, 1876, 14 houses in Ewer Street were
reported by me to your Board as unfit for human habitation, and in
January, 1877, these houses were demolished. Again, on 25th
February, 1876, the Sanitary Committee inspected 25 houses in
Glasshouse Yard, and instructed me to give notice to the owners
that these houses were unfit for human habitation. On the 9th
June Mr. Partridge inspected the property and made an order to
close the houses in conformity with the notices which had been
served; some time after all the houses were pulled down. About
the same period 10 houses called "Waterloo Buildings were
demolished.
In making these remarks I wish your Board to know that the
ground upon which this property stood has remained vacant up to
the present time, a condition which certainly could not have been
contemplated by the Legislature; nor do I consider it prudent on our
part, as custodians of the public health, to permit so large a number
of poor people to be displaced from their homes without
causing provision to be made for the erection of suitable dwellings
for them. My own view is that in the event of any houses being
found unfit for human habitation, or in other words, in such a condition
as capable of being condemned under existing Acts of
Parliament, the Yestry or District Board should have power to
serve notice on the owner of such property to at once demolish it,
and within a reasonable period to re-build the same in a fit and
proper manner. In default thereof, to be liable to an accruing
penalty, until such re-building is completed.
The Acts of Parliament which apply to this matter, known as
Torrens's Act of 1868, and amended in 1879, and that of Sir
Richard Cross, passed in 1879, and amended in 1882, are both open
to objection. In section 5 of the former Act, it states: "The owner