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79
I may here remark that every year, and for several years past,
many notices have been served requiring the owners of such dwellings
to provide a supply of water to the closets. In previous years these
closets were hand flushed; but merely throwing water down from
time to time resulted in much fœcal accumulation, and experience
from year to year left no doubt in the mind of the Sanitary Committee
that such a practice could not be relied on to keep the closets clean.
It was therefore decided, wherever a closet was found to have no
constant water supply, that the Sanitary Inspector should call upon
the owners to provide such supply with as little delay as possible.
But whilst that has been done for several years past, many closets are
yet found to be without a constant water supply.
Inspector Alexander further refers to the old dwellings, Nos. 13 to
21, Goldsmith Square (or more familiarly called Piges Island). It
has been my duty on several occasions in past years to visit these
premises, and recommend your Vestry to call upon the owners to
cleanse and repair them. It was considered at that time the houses
could be so made fit for habitation, but my attention was this year
called to them, and I was obliged to report that they were unfit for
human habitation, and that many of them could not be made fit, but
should be pulled down. The Sanitary Committee subsequently visited
these premises, and advised your Vestry to call the attention of the
freeholders to the Medical Officer's Report, and to express to the
owners that, in the opinion of the Sanitary Authority, these houses
could not be made fit and kept fit for habitation, and therefore ought
to be pulled down.
On the receipt of this representation from your Vestry, the
owners decided to demolish these houses, and that has been done.
The dwellings, Nos. .52, 54, 56, 58, GO, 62, 64, 66, Dove Row,
similar old structures, have also been closed by order of your Vestry.
These dwellings will be familiar to the mind of the Sanitary Authority
as having been, on various occasions, reported to be injurious to
health; and I may here add, that there are many other houses in
the neighbourhood which your Medical Officer finds that he will be
obliged to bring under the notice of your Vestry, with a view of
bringing about their demolition.