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works are not yet complete, but are in hand, or orders have
been given to carry out the necessary works.
In Prices Court and Downs Buildings, in all thirty-one
houses, this has been done in every case, and the paving in
the Court partially relaid and repaired.
Numerous isolated blocks of two, three and four houses in
various parts of the district have been dealt with in a similar
way.
T have found it necessary to call the Medical Officer's
attention to several houses which were in my opinion unfit
for human habitation, and in three instances it has been
necessary to obtain a Magistrate's Order; and in one case an
order was obtained to close the premises, which remains
closed as unfit for human habitation.
In a number of instances where I found houses delapidated
or unsafe, I have communicated with the District Surveyor,
and in every case they have been either wholly or partly,
demolished; a number of houses have also been similarly dealt
with, where notices have been served to thoroughly repair and
render the same fit for human habitation; altogether, thirtyeight
have been wholly or partly demolished.
T have recently commenced an house to house inspection of
the district, and have so far inspected 342 houses, and have
where necessary, served notices to carry out sanitary
improvements.
I have in every case, where one cistern was in use for W.C.
and domestic water supply, had a distinct and separate
supply provided, and where possible have abolished the cistern
for domestic purposes, and substituted for same a direct
supply from the main, as I find it impossible to ensure the
thorough and periodical cleansing of receptacles for water,
and am convinced that cisterns not provided with filters are
a prolific source of disease. In many cases I have found
cisterns literally full of organic, and at times decompose
animal matter, the only remedy in my opinion is to abolish
such lively sources of disease.
I have endeavoured to carry out this work with the least