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79
Dwellings unfit for Habitation.—My attention was called, in March, to the condition of the
dwelling-rooms over stables in Colville Mews, which are separately occupied. Access to the rooms
at ten premises was by the stable doors, and a staircase within the stable itself, there being no
effective means for excluding stable air from the rooms; the ceilings of some of the stables, moreover,
being defective. I reported to the Public Health Committee, with reference to the matter, as
follows:—
"Some of the stables are full of horses; none of them are properly ventilated. Peat or sawdust
is commonly used for litter. The atmosphere of the rooms is offensive so as to render the dwellings unfit
for human habitation. Were the ceilings of the stables made sound, the staircase effectually separated by a solid
partition from the stables, and a separate entrance door provided, the nuisance would be greatly mitigated if
not wholly abated. I submit a plan showing how this improvement might be carried into effect. At eight
of the premises the staircase is approached direct from the mewsway, but the partition separating it
from the stable is not solid. The question raised by this report is an important one, and I beg to
recommend the Committee to view the premises."
The Committee appointed a Sub-Committee to view; my recommendations were approved;
notices were served, and in the result, each stable was effectually separated by a brick partition
from the staircase to the dwelling-rooms over—a new entrance to the staircase being made direct
from the mewsway; a very great sanitary improvement thus being effected.
Registered Houses.—At the close of the year there were 1,981 houses on the register of
"houses let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family" (Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, Section 94). Inspections of these houses to the number of 2,585 were made
by the Sanitary Inspectors, including 367 inspections of those which are let in "furnished" rooms.
Eleven hundred and ninety-seven notices were issued in the course of the year, and the provision of
the bye-law for annual cleansing was duly carried out by the several landlords under the supervision,
so far as practicable, of the inspectors.
Common Lodging Houses.—The County Council in 1894, took over from the police the
supervision of common-lodging-houses, under the circumstances set out in my annual report for
1893 (p.207). I am indebted to the Council's Medical Officer of Health for the subjoined return
of the common-lodging-houses in this borough, which are 24 in number, and contain accommodation
for 711 persons.

Seventeen of the common lodging-houses, with accommodation for 467 persons, are comprised
in the "Notting-dale" special area.