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The needs of the tenants must be regarded, for they depend on
their health for their work, and they pay their rent for equitable
return in means for rest and shelter, and other protecting influences;
and those owners are the greatest enemy to the interests of property
who fail to give equitable return, for they teach their tenants to be
equally unfair and become utterly careless of the dwellings. And
however much may be recognized and said of the neglect of the
tenants, yet improvement in that respect can only come by owners
having the means, applying them properly, so that each party to
the contract may receive a fair return, and therewith be encouraged
to be more considerate, and more careful of his own and others.
Guided by such considerations your Vestry have shown to
owners much consideration but much firmness in bringing about
alterations in dwellings to make them more serviceable to the
inhabitants of the Parish. Some years ago the Sanitary Authority
summoned many owners before the Magistrate, and legal orders
were obtained directing the owners to carry out the requirements
of the.Vestry; but it was seen that the owners could ostensibly obey
the Magistrate's order without doing the work well, and the Sanitary
Authority was brought to avoid as much as possible resorting to
such proceedings, but instead, to show much fair consideration to
the owners of dwellings, and when that failed, the Vestry, for the
protection of the health of the inhabitants, directed workmen to
enter on the premises and make such alterations and improvements
as were urgently and indispensibly called for, and charge the
owners with the cost. In this manner the owners were not harassed
by being summoned to the Law Courts, and the Vestry showed
that if the owners could not be influenced by reasonable consideration,
then the Sanitary Authority must exercise the powers conferred
upon them by the Acts of Parliament, and do what was requisite
for public health.
These remarks your Medical Officer is required to make, as
shewing how a practice has grown up in the course of years of
experience, and I am led to refer to it now, in connection with the
Inspector's report of dangerous nuisances which occurred at Norwich
road and Regent's row, for in that instance the Sanitary Authority
showed a necessary consideration to the owner, for when the