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25
The recent extension of the district, by including
Hook, Southborough and Tolworth, has embraced a large
number of dwellings of the labouring class, abutting on
unmade roads which are generally speaking not in the
highest sanitary condition, and afford a playground, not of
the most desirable character, for young children. The
state of these approaches is such that the ordinary process
of sweeping and cleansing cannot be resorted to, and not
being under the control of the Council there is frequently
the grossest abuses perpetrated by some of the thoughtless
occupants of the houses abutting upon them; the refuse
matter from their dwellings is scattered over these open
spaces and churned up with moisture by the traffic into an
unhealthy quagmire. It is consequently important in
considering the general health of the district that these
localities should not be forgotten by the Council. There
is satisfactory evidence of the good work done in this
respect a few years ago at the approaches to cottages from
Alpha Road, and I am fully satisfied that the clean and
wholesome surroundings thus given to the houses of the
poor have resulted in a diminution of sickness and disease.
The acquisition of land and the erection of dwellings
for the labouring classes on open and healthy sites is
another matter well deserving the attention of the Council
in their future deliberations. There is at the present time
a dearth of this character of houses which leads to high
rents and to much overcrowding and unavoidable difficulties,
whereas, if the number of cottages was increased by the
construction of healthy houses let under well considered
regulations at the lowest possible rents, it would be the
most practical and successful method of destroying the
existing monopoly, and lead to the introduction of rules of
order and cleanliness, the observance of which would,