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157
—I can only say that I believe if it was Lord William Compton
who said that he is quite right there. I think we hear language
sometimes there which is very regrettable, and which certainly
does the vestry a great deal of harm in the public estimation.
As to how far it affects its real work is another matter; but it
certainly cannot raise the vestry in the public estimation when
such language is frequently seen to be used. We have some
few noisy ones, which we cannot help; but those we are
obliged to put up with and make the best of.
I was desired by the vestry to hand in a few documents, and
to express the hope that you will see fit to append them to your
report as an appendix. These documents contain a letter which
was addressed to yourself, Sir, on the 20th of March as containing
some attempt at least to answer certain allegations. There
is another letter, addressed to you, of the 7th of July. Then
there is the deathrate of the parish for each year from 1856 to
1883 as stated by the Medical Officer of Health, and there is a
rough proof of the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of
Health as to the sanitary condition of the parish for the year
1883. May I ask you, in justice to the vestry, to append these
documents to your report.
The Commission deliberated.
(The Chairman). The decision of the Commission is to print
the report of the medical officer and the return of the death
rate.
17,878. (Mr. Mc Cullagh Torrens.) Some impression has been
created, I think, out of doors (I am not sure whether it has been
produced upon the minds of the Commission) that the parish of
Clerkenwell is singularly fortunate in being placed on high
ground. It is quite true that the Pentonville portion is pretty
high, but you have yourself stated that other portions of the
parish, as I myself know, are very low?—Very low.
17,879. And even taking the level of the Pentonville part
which is the highest, is it not, as a matter of mere topography
true that very nearly the whole of Islington and the whole of
St. Pancras is higher than Clerkenwell ?—Certainly.
17,880. And yet the death rate you claim is better then theirs ?
—Yes.
With reference to the expenditure that has been incurred in
carrying out your Acts, supposing that demolition were to ensue,
I am inclined to think that the ve3try have been somewhat slow
in putting the Act into operation on account of other heavy
charges.
17,881. You mean the demolition part of it?—Yes.