HH62/1/FORFAR/13

Transcription

[Page] 12

greater number of the houses have been specially built to contain a
space for a loom - the room and stance being considered a necessary
part of the house. It may be parenthetically stated that many of
the houses in the rural parts erected thirty years ago are provided
with a loom stance. Hand-loom weaving is now practically non-
existent, and a person may pass through what was a busy village
thirty years ago, and not hear what must have been the cheery click
of the shuttle. The work having left the villages, and there being
less demand for agricultural labourers, the workers have had to
remove to larger centres, where employment could be obtained -
hence, empty houses, reduced rents, general delapidation, and the
owners unable to keep what had been tidy cottages in a comfortable
and healthy state of repair.

In the rural parts considerable improvements have in recent years
been made on the cottages required for the use of farm labourers,
but much remains to be done. Generally, little attention is given to
repairing the houses occupied by those, who may be styled day-
labourers, except the houses are in the vicinity of quarries or public
works, and even at these places there are many exceptions. Since
the introduction of agricultural machinery there is less demand for
day-labourers, unless at special seasons. It is unfortunate that the
labourers have had to remove in such large numbers to towns.
There are many empty houses (976 in 1889), and those really let
yield such a small rent as to discourage any expenditure by the
owner.

It is to be feared that the proprietors will allow the occupiers to
remove elsewhere rather than incur expenditure for which there will
be no return.

As this Report only comprises the period of about one year, and
as it may be said the Public Health Act has practically been in force
only during that period, little can be said as to the execution of the
Act, but there is an evident desire on the part of the District Com-
mittees to enforce its provisions, and the authors of nuisances have
hitherto been willing to remove or abate them.

(b). "A Statement of any Sanitary Measures he may
consider advisable."

Several of the villages are without any proper system of sewerage

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works or an adequate supply of water.

The foul water and other offensive matters are generally disposed
of by being deposited in ashpits. The water supply in the villages,
other than those formed into special districts, is generally derived
from springs, streams, and sunk or shallow wells. In instances, ash-
pits, privies, and other sources of contamination are suspiciously
near to the wells.

The water supply in many parts of the rural districts is obtained
from similar sources, and is under the same suspicion as to quality.

It is desirable that the larger villages, such as Friockheim,
Newtyle, &c., be formed into special districts and a proper system of
sewerage works laid down where necessary; the same district to be a
special water district and an adequate supply of water provided for
domestic purposes.

In the rural districts the water supplies, besides being of doubtful
quality, are often at considerable distances from the houses - a fact
which does not tend to promote cleanliness. Wholesome water
should be provided, where practicable, to all inhabited houses within
a reasonable distance.

It is desirable that the Public Health Act should be amended to
the extent of authorizing the formation of special districts for cleans-
ing purposes. Villages will not be kept thoroughly clean without
the aid of scavengers.

Public conveniences should be erected in all villages of any
importance.

In regard to the cleansing of villages, the following quotations are
from practical suggestions issued by the Board of Supervision, and
are better than any recommendation of mine:-

"Removal of Contents of Ashpits and Privies. - In scattered
communities it is impracticable for the Local Authority to take
charge of such matters, and they must be left in great measure to
the inhabitants themselves. But in towns and villages all experience
tends to show that the removal of refuse and excreta, when left to
householders, is very inefficiently attended to. In localities where