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Justices with a view to obtaining Closing Orders prohibiting
the user of two houses were compelled to be taken. After two
adjournments the owner agreed and subsequently carried out the
requirements of the Council. The execution of the works
materially improved the premises.
In the other cases the respective owners carried out works
as specified without recourse to proceedings.
Some difficulty necessarily arises, where there are courts,
alleys and squares in a district in obtaining desirable sanitary
and requisite arrangements in the homes of the working classes.
The properties thus situate have been from time to time under
my careful observation.
Bye-law Infringements.
Several Owners of property erected buildings in the rear
of their premises thereby curtailing the air space prescribed by
ihe bye-laws. Notices were served calling upon such Owners to
shew cause why such buildings should not be altered, removed,
or pulled down. The Council were successful in inducing the
Owners to remedy the causes of complaint.
Defective and Epileptic Children Act.
The Council have appointed me as the Medical Officer
under the above Act, and the Board of Education approved of
such appointment. I examined five children who were believed
not to be imbeciles nor merely dull or backward, but defective,
that is to say children by reason of mental or physical defect
are incapable of receiving proper benefit from the education in
the ordinary Public Elementary Schools, but not incapable by
reason of such defect of receiving benefit in some special
classes or schools. After carefully examining the children and
interviewing the parents and teachers and in consultation with
H.M. Inspector, I arrived at the conclusion that all five cases
came within the terms of the statute. It must not be forgotten
that by "feeble minded" it is meant those who cannot be
certified as being idiots or imbeciles, but who are so ill-equipped
mentally as to be unable to take an independent place in the
world.