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62
for years, but these so nearly correspond with the Act and are
in such good condition, that it has not been considered desirable
to interfere with them.
Closets without water-supply.—We have a large
number of these in the Parish, but have no power to order a
water-supply, except its absence causes a nuisance; when this
is the case, it is at once ordered, and the order is always complied
with. The complaint that no water is laid on to waterclosets
rests upon an idea—that water should be laid on to all
closets. But why? If any nuisance arises from its absence, it
can be, and is, at once ordered. But if the closets are kept
clean and wholesome by suitable flushing, where is the necessity
for a separate water-supply? It can only save the trouble of the
flushing. In many instances during the year, a water-supply
has been laid on, where we have simply served a preliminary
notice. When the inhabitants form a rough population, the
water-supply is of little use, as the fittings form playthings for
the children, and are soon broken. However, the slop-water
keeps the closets clear. We have many stopped-up closets in
the year, but the stoppage is always found to be caused by
pieces of flannel, old brushes, &c., carelessly thrown into the
pan, with the slops; except in cases where the tenants are turned
out, when bricks and rubbish are thrown in, smashing the pan,
to pay out the landlord.
But ours is not the only Parish in which the closets are without
water. For, at a late meeting of the Islington Vestry, the
Chairman of the Sanitary Committee, in answer to questions put
to him, stated that it was not considered a sanitary defect for
closets to be without a fixed water-supply, inasmuch as many of
these closets were kept in a better condition than those which
had a fixed water-supply. The Chairman said the Medical
Officer told him, that he did consider it a defect for closets to be
without a fixed water-supply, but he had no power to take
action in the matter until a nuisance had been proved.