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61
therein. The attendance of two of the inspectors upon the
dusting and slopping was discontinued, pro. tem., for the purpose,
these duties being transferred to a separate person for the time.
By this proceeding houses of the poorer class were examined
and their condition reported upon, and the usual notices served
for the removal of nuisance and defects where found to exist,
and followed up until they were remedied.
During the last month or two, the "bitter cry" has awoke
the ground landlords, who are enforcing thorough ornamental
repairs, painting the houses, laying on water to the closets, and
papering the rooms and stair-cases. The latter part, I consider
a decided mistake, and, as I pointed out in a former report, the
rooms and stair-cases should be done in distemper, so as to keep
down vermin, and allow of their being re-done when infectious
diseases breaks out.
Overcrowding.—We not unfrequently find instances of
overcrowding, which are at once attended to, a certain time
being necessarily allowed for the removal of the persons concerned,
and their finding new lodgings. There is no law to
prevent overcrowding, except it be proved to be injurious to
health. But our rule has been for many years, that 300 cubic
feet per head is the proper requirement, some allowance being
made where some of the family are young children. One case
of Typhoid Fever was sent to Hospital during the year, by a
Magistrate's Order, in consequence of the family living in one
overcrowded room. Our notices are always obeyed when served,
but some instances may escape us, and can hardly be expected
not to exist. Besides, considering the way in which the poor live,
with doors open summer and winter, I believe too much ventilation
kills far more than insufficient, especially among children.
Underground Kitchens.—Several of these, illegally occupied,
have been discovered and emptied during the year.
But we do not receive the two reports per year of the total
number in the Parish, which the District Surveyor is bound to
furnish to tho Vestry. Several of them have been occupied