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mostly occupied by poor elderly persons, perhaps working a
mangle, and who pay a small rent. Many of the rooms in the
new Model Dwellings are much darker and closer than the
underground kitchens. Again, the cheapest dwellings are at
the top of the buildings, where it is impossible for poor old
people to go up the stairs; and the top rooms are very cold.
One elderly female recently turned out, could not find another
room at her price, and so has been taken into the Workhouse as
a tenant for life. As the Act was passed many years ago, when
the paving and drainage were far less perfect, I think the
occupation of the kitchens might very well be left to the
judgment of the Vestry.
House-to-House Visitation.—a notable event in the
year was the house-to-house inspection of dwellings in the
Parish, as the Cholera cry still continued. For the purpose of
carrying this out, two additional or Assistant Inspectors were
engaged, and commenced their work on July 28th; one taking
the upper, and the other the lower wards of the Parish. These
were able and energetic men, one of them certificated. A list of
the main points to be observed was given to them, comprising :
the drainage, sinks, closets, water supply, and butts or
cisterns, the cleanly state of the houses and rooms, ovecrowding,
and the state of the dust-bins. In this way a large number of defective
conditions were found, of which the owners and occupiers
of the houses were informed by notice, and which although
perhaps individually not very important, yet collectively, as
relating to the 7,000 tenements in the Parish required serious
attention. The upper Inspector ceased work on 31st January,
the other is still engaged, and is doing valuable service. A
largo number of these defects, many of them, however, not
legal defects, have been remedied; others are still in hand. One
assistant Inspector is still engaged in re-visiting either the same
premises, or those where attempt at keeping things in order are
defeated by the negligent or destructive action of the occupiers.