Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the town of Newton-Abbot / by George T. Clark, Superintending Inspector.

  • George Thomas Clark
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the town of Newton-Abbot / by George T. Clark, Superintending Inspector. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Report to the General Board of Health on a Preliminary Inquiry into the Sewerage, Drainage, and Supply of Water, and the Sanitary Condition of the Inhabitants, of the Town of Newton- Abbot. By George T. Clark, Superintending Inspector. London, 26th April, 1849. My Lords and Gentlemen, In obedience to your instructions, I proceeded on the 9tli of March last, after public notice duly given, to visit the petition- ing town of Newton-Abbot, in the parish of Wolborough, in the county of Devon ; a place not having a recognised boundary. I held public sittings there, in the Town Hall, on the 9th and 10th inst., and employed the remainder of those days, and a part of the 12th, in a public inspection of the town, and in collecting materials for this Deport. 2. Mr. Abberley, surveyor, laid before me various surveys and levels of the town and its sewers, and in other respects materially aided my inquiry. 3. I have to acknowledge the support of Mr. Cartwright, of Forde House, a principal ratepayer, and a magistrate for the county : also of the Dev. John Templer, curate of Highweek; of Lieut. Lethbridge, D.N. ; of Messrs. Leslie and Gillard, surgeons; and of Mr. Flamank, solicitor. I was also accom- panied throughout my inspection by Mr. Gaye, surgeon; and by Messrs. Chudleigh, Milward, Ford, Symons, Lambic, and Dendell, engaged in trade in the town. 4. There was a considerable opposition to the application of the Act, and a counter-petition, numerously signed, has been laid before your Board. It was not, however, alleged that the pro- portion of ratepayers signing the original petition was within that required by the Act; or that there was any legal irregularity or omission whatever in the proceedings. The principal grounds of opposition were, that the application of the Act was objected to by a large majority of the ratepayers; that the mortality returns officially furnished were incomplete, and calculated to give an erroneous impression of the health of the town; and that the Nuisances Demoval Act contained sufficient powers for all the requisite improvements in the town. 5. The first of these objections obviously did not affect the vali- dity of the petition, or of the inquiry, and I therefore declined [31.] n 2