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52
is not in a financial position to cleanse his premises even when
dirty, not to mention once every twelve months.
With regard to over-crowding, the advice that I have hitherto
given to the Council and the late Vestry is to the effect that,
under existing conditions, the Sanitary Authority would not be
justified in proceeding to extremes, with a view to abating all
over-crowding, until extra suitable accommodation has been
provided into which the legally displaced tenants could move and
be housed Gross cases of over-crowding are dealt with under the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, but to systematically deal
with over-crowding under the Bye-laws, where the cubic space is
increased to 300 and 400 cubic feet per person respectively, would
be a totally different matter, and in my opinion, an unjust and
severe action for a sanitary authority to take under conditions
such as at present exist, more especially in the Inner Wards of
Lambeth Borough. From my experience in Lambeth, I am
satisfied that the houses can be kept in better condition by
systematic house-to-house inspections than by simply registering
them under Bye-laws; but to enable a systematic house-to-house
inspection to be carried out, a large increase to the existing
Sanitary Staff would be rendered absolutely necessary. Even to
carry out the Bye-laws in the sense that the London County
Council would seem to suggest that such bye-laws should be
carried out, would involve also a large augmentation to the
existing Sanitary Staffs, and the practical results would not be
commensurate with the extra expense incurred, though I am
satisfied that many satisfactory results would accrue from systematic
house-to-house inspection in the more congested and
poorer parts of the District.
I would remind the Council of the decision given in the Appeal
Court by the Lord Chief Justice of England, in the case of
Weatheritt versus Cautley, to the effect that tenemented houses
built in blocks cannot be registered as houses let in lodgings.
In conclusion, so far as my experience gained in Lambeth goes,
whereas upon theoretical grounds much good was expected from
the enforcing of the Bye-laws as to houses let in lodgings, in practice
such expectations have not been realised, the Bye-laws being
found to be unworkable, more especially in connection with their
chief object, viz., the systematic and regular cleansing of premises.
Joseph Priestlev.
February 23rd, 1903.