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incentive to immorality. It appears to the Council that the by-laws which have been made by the councils of the
several metropolitan boroughs under the provisions of section 94 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, do not
confer upon sanitary authorities adequate power for dealing with rooms of the above description. It is stated also
that considerable difficulty is experienced in putting into operation the provisions of Part IV. of the London County
Council (General Powers) Act, 1904, as to the destruction of filthy or unwholesome articles, owing to the frequency
with which disputes as to the amount of compensation for articles destroyed arise. The existence of these circumstances
has led the Council to consider whether in the interests of public health further legislation should be sought
in respect of furnished rooms so let, to ensure that they should be maintained with due regard to sanitation. It
appears to the Council to be most desirable that greater supervision and control than exists at present should be
exercised over this class of house, which is nearly related in character to the common lodging-house, both in respect
of the class of house and the social condition of the inmates, and, in fact, the demand for lodgings of this character
exists, in the main, in localities where common lodging-houses are situated, the lodging-house and the furnished
rooms not infrequently being owned by the same persons. The Council thinks that more effective control would be
ensured if persons letting such rooms Were required to obtain an annual licence, to be granted after consideration
of the fitness of the applicant and the structure and cleanliness of the premises. Such licences would be granted
by the Council in the same manner as is done with regard to common lodging-houses. An alternative means of
securing adequate supervision would be by investing the local sanitary authority with full power to inspect and
enforce a certain standard of requirements, authority being given to the Council, with the consent of the Local
Government Board, in each case to act in default of action by the local sanitary authority. The Council would be
glad if the metropolitan borough councils would assist it in its deliberations by furnishing their views as to the means,
by licensing or otherwise, by which the sanitary and moral condition of the inmates of these houses could be improved.
The Council has no doubt but that this question has already been before the local sanitary authorities, and that those
authorities have in their possession valuable information bearing on the subject, and I have to state that the Council
will be very glad to receive any information of this nature which is available.
The subject is still under the consideration of the Council.
Water supply to tenement houses.
Sanitary authorities have increasingly used the powers provided by section 78 of the Council's
General Powers Act of 1907, for requiring the provision of a water supply to the upper floors of
tenement houses.

(a) Number of notices served. It is stated that in the majority of instances the work was completed during the
year.
(b) Notices were served in respect of a supply to some tenement houses in Bromley.
Dr. Allan reports that in Westminster " owners are recommended in all cases to fit a proper sink
in connection with the new supply on upper floors and so prevent risk of walls and ceilings being spoiled.
Two large owners of property, having received notice in respect of some of their houses, decided to lay
on additional supply of water to all their tenement houses. As a rule, the Council has not asked for
more than one tap and sink between the first and second floors, but in some instances owners have laid
on water to each floor."
Dr. McCleary states that the number of houses dealt with in Hampstead in 1909 was 85. " In
each house a water tap and a glazed earthenware sink were provided on each floor. The provision of
a sink is important, for without it the water tap might become a source of dampness and cause considerable
damage to the house. The section of the General Powers Act quoted above makes no provision
for a sink, and in some cases the owners having provided water taps refused to fix sinks beneath
them. In these cases the house appeared to be without the "sufficient drain" required by section 73
of the Metropolis Management Act, 1855, and after the service of notices under that section the sinks
were duly provided. Fears have been expressed that these sinks might be misused and fouled and so