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88
In reference to these complaints, it was reported in the daily
newspapers of January 9th, that at a meeting of the Mansion House
Council held on the previous day, the Hon. Secretary, Mr. John
Hamer, stated as follows, that "The analysis of cases of insanitary
conditions in Shoreditch, notices of which had been sent to the
Authority from March to August, 1889, showed that out of 2000
defects reported, about 1200 had been remedied, and the Vestry were
actively at work upon the remainder."
The exact number of premises referred to at that time as having
been dealt with out of the total of 1015 was (509, including 30 houses
in the Vinegar Ground, which were reported to the London County
Council, under Cross' Act, as unfit for habitation, previous to the
receipt of the Council's complaint.
It would have been comparatively an easy matter to have followed
on the footsteps of the Inspectors of "The Mansion House Council," and
to have issued notices dealing with the surface conditions to which
their complaints generally referred, but that would only have
occasioned expense to the owners of property, without permanent
benefit to anyone, and would have conveyed to the occupiers of the
houses, in very many instances, quite a false assurance of the conditions
under which they were living. Therefore, in investigating the complaints
of " The Mansion House Council," as directed by the Sanitary Committee,
I have been careful in accordance with long-established practice, upheld
and approved by the Vestry, to thoroughly examine each premises in
order not only to secure the rectification of surface conditions, but also
the very much more dangerous conditions lying concealed under
houses, water closets and adjacent yards.
To deal with 1045 complaints lodged by one organization, in
addition to the ordinary complaints of ratepayers received at the Town
Hall from day to day, it became necessary to devolve upon Mr. Lear
(the Assistant Inspector) the duty of dealing with a considerable enumber
of the daily complaints, somewhat to the detriment of the work he was
more especially appointed to attend to, and in that way it became possible,
between March and December, to deal with the insanitary conditions
of 609 of the premises complained of, and in the manner before
indicated. Progress with the remainder of the premises was then