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they noticed in their inspections were remedied, and in this
classification I would draw the attention of the Vestry to one
of the items which has not come prominently before them in
previous reports, namely, the provision of lighting and ventilation
to the staircases of houses. For some time past your
Committee had been insisting on the provision of both of these
in the case of the tall blocks of tenement houses, where perhaps
three families live on as many floors. Recently, however, the
requirements have been extended to those houses we come
across, either in systematic inspection or by complaint, in
which there are two families. It may at once be conceded
that the great majority of houses in this parish have staircases
and upper landings without any provisions at all for the exit of
the foul air which must necessarily arise from the lower rooms,
and which has to pass through the upstairs rooms, and
then out of the windows. Of course when the upper rooms
are used as sleeping apartments the evil is neither so
apparent nor so glaring, but when on the other hand these
are used as living rooms the occupants have not only to
suffer from the effects of their own breathing but also have to
put up with the foul air ascending from the lower part of the
house. The enforcement of these regulations has been in
many cases resisted, and two of the owners thought it necessary
to take the matter before the magistrate. I am glad to say,
however, that in both cases the magistrate decided in favour of
the Vestry's requirements.
As usual there was a special inspection made of cowhouses
and slaughter-houses prior to the meeting of the
Licensing Committee of the London County Council. In a
great number of cases the defects notified chiefly related to
paving and cleansing, and, as we usually find, the slaughterhouses
were, speaking generally, in a far better condition than
the cow-houses. By the licensing day all the work had
been completed with the exception of one case, which was
adjourned and the work eventually completed to our satisfaction.
Unfortunately there are certain owners who are shortsighted
enough to prefer to just bring themselves within the
limit of our requirements, although they might with small
extra expense put the premises into a permanently satisfactory
condition which would go on for years without any more outlay,