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gutterings remedied, and dilapidated dustbins renewed is rather
numerous owing to property owners being somewhat in arrears in the
maintenance of their properties.
Only one house was declared unfit for habitation and put under a
closing order, but after considerable delay it was heavily repaired and
the closing order removed.
The defects in other houses are dealt with as in past years by
serving notices under the Public Health Acts.
The difficulties during the year in getting repairs carried out to
make houses more fit for habitation were the delay in getting the
Sanitary Inspector's assistant back from military service till the year
was nearly half gone, combined with the shortage of workmen and the
dearth and high prices of materials.
As to water supply, closet accommodation, and refuse disposal, all
houses in the Borough are provided with the two first mentioned
except that in a few instances there is a common tap in a yard for a
block of houses. The Council attend to the disposal of the refuse and
all houses have separate and moveable receptacles.
There are no unhealthy areas in the Borough and no work has
been done or appears necessary in connection with bye-laws relating to
tents, vans, sheds or houses let in lodgings.
No complaint was made by a householder during the year as to
the unfitness of the house for habitation.
The number of dwelling houses of the working classes inspected
under our House to House Inspection was 238. This compares with
some 700 per annum under pre-war conditions with the pre-war staff.
One was considered unfit, and the great majority of the others were
defective and more suitably dealt with by serving notices under the
Public Health Acts. It should be here explained that in addition to
the 238 houses already mentioned there was an unusual number of
complaints from occupiers as to the state of their houses, which were
dealt with in the same manner but are not counted under the heading
"Housing" or "House to House " Inspection. These amounted to
over 300, so that nearly 600 houses of the working classes were