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(a) No register is now kept, under the Islington Borough Council's new by-laws, but the number of houses let
in lodgings inspected during the year was 1,507.
* For overcrowding. † For other conditions.
The extent to which these powers are exercised by the several authorities obviously differs much
more widely than can be explained by differences in the numbers and in the social circumstances of
the populations in their respective districts.
In some of the annual reports this branch of administration is discussed in more detail than in
others. It is thus shown that in Paddington the work of annual cleansing occupies nearly the
whole time of two inspectors from March to September or later. In St. Marylebone the re-registration
of houses under the by-laws of 1907 has been steadily proceeded with. In Hampstead the number
of houses registered is steadily increasing, but does not include all those which might with advantage
be thus dealt with, the staff of inspectors being inadequate for this purpose. In St. Pancras and
Greenwich the amendment of the by-laws was still under consideration.
Furnished rooms.
The subject of the regulation of houses let in furnished lodgings was under the consideration of
the Public Health Committee of the Council during 1909. The rooms in such houses are frequently
let for the night, a charge of l0d. or a shilling being made for their use. These houses have increased
in number since, under the inspection of the Council, the accommodation for " married couples " in
common lodging-houses has diminished. Houses let in furnished rooms are largely situated in the
immediate neighbourhood of common lodging-houses, are occupied by persons of the same class as that
which frequents common lodging-houses, and are often owned by the keepers of such houses. The
need for their better control is being increasingly emphasised by experience gained of the nature of
their use and of the effect which they have upon the localities in which they are situated.
In June, 1909, the Council addressed the following letter to London Sanitary Authorities:—
The Council has under consideration the question of the necessity for the exercise of increased control over a
certain type of furnished room, the practice of letting such rooms for short periods, at a rate not exceeding 10s. a week,
having recently become more general in various parts of the County of London. This class of room appears to be
occupied by persons who are, if anything, of a more degraded character than those frequenting common lodginghouses;
the rent is paid daily and the appointments of the rooms are mostly of a very scanty and dilapidated nature,
the beds being, in many instances, verminous. The ease with which such rooms can be hired is, moreover, a great