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taken by the Sanitary Authority of the legislation provided,
a large portion of which is at present permissive, and upon
the judiciously liberal spending of money. From this point
of view, absorption by Kingston would be a positive loss—
a loss not only of our independence, but a blow at self.
government in its best and healthiest aspect. Surbiton has
hitherto been administered by an authority, every member
of which was thoroughly conversant with every part of the
district, and by reason of this intimate knowledge was well
able to grasp all the details that were brought forward from
time to time whenever sanitary business or affairs concerning
the health of the inhabitants were under consideration.
We have every reason to be well satisfied with our
progress, with our sewers and with our roads, their construction
and their maintenance, with our building byelaws
and their administration, notwithstanding the enemy within
our gates, and we may be well content and proud as
inhabitants of Surbiton to place opposite the offer of a
free library, and the dubious advantages of the public
[Kingston] electric light, the positive and practical benefits
of a well.constructed and well.administered Cottage hospital,
and ample accommodation at the Isolation Hospital for
our infected sick. It is a fact, and a noteworthy fact (but
a fact that it is to be hoped is exceptional among towns
of such a size), that the town that proposes to absorb us—
a town of nearly 30,000 inhabitants with its large artisan
population, has not and never has had a single hospital
bed of its own for those of its people who are injured, are
sick, or may be infected.
Inspector's
Report.
The Sanitary Inspector,Mr.Mather,reports as follows:—
"During the past year the sanitary condition of the district
has been well maintained and the number of complaints
received unusually small, being only eight as against
twenty.nine during the previous year. In twenty.one
cases the usual order for abatement of nuisances has
been served and the directions therein named have been