View report page

22
defective. The expediency of pronouncing them unfit for habitation was
considered. It being, however, thought that if certain structural alterations
were effected, the most material objections would be removed, orders
were issued accordingly, the question of condemnation being reserved.
Boston Street.—A specific complaint being made at a meeting of the
Vestry, that this street was in a very foul state, it was visited by the
Committee, in 1857, it did indeed require material sanitary improvement.
In consequence of recommendations by myself and the Inspector,
the drainage was improved; the house drains and privies were made
good, and the place might generally be said to have been put in order.
But since this, partly through neglect of tenants, several pans had been
broken, some drains had become obstructed, and there were accumulations
of dust. The Committee were satisfied from their inspection, that
the condition of this street had been misunderstood by those who made
the complaint. At the same time the necessary orders to reinstate tho
premises were made.
This is an example which illustrates what has happened generally in
the parish. Although the Committee have had in their recent visitations,
opportunities of seeing many instances of dwellings, rendered unhealthy
partly by fault of construction, partly from bad drainage, and partly
from neglect of other sanitary requirements, yet they have not had the
means of contrasting the condition of these places as seen by them, with
the far more deplorable condition they presented when they first fell
under the care of the officers of the Vestry. It is hard now to realize
the extent of the sanitary works that have been carried out, or to
estimate the amount of labour, and the repeated improvements that have
been effected at various times, in the very houses which the Committee
still found needing amendment. If experience teaches anything, these
houses will in no long time, again demand sanitary restoration. There
is constantly working against sanitary administration, a process of decay
and delapidation, aggravated too often by recklessness, and even wilful
destruction on the part of tenants. In many cases, too, of the poorer
and more crowded tenements, some of the first conveniences of dwellings
are not provided for each separate habitation. Thus, for a court or