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70
separate tenements at an annual rental not exceeding £10 from
the liability to house duty. The 1891 Act raised the amount to
£4.0 annual rental. These Acts have added much to the duties
of the Medical Officer, as personal inspection; is imperative and
certain forms of certificate have to be sent by him to the Surveyor
of Taxes. Many hundreds of tenements have been inspected and
certified since the Act came into force in January, 1891, and
many flats are now being built and converted in the parish in
order to obtain exemption or abatement of the house duty. The
numbers inspected yearly from 1890, in which two hundred and
forty-three were inspected, and after the execution of necessary
works re-inspected and certified were for 1891, one hundred and
nineteen; for 1892, one hundred and sixty-five; for 1893, two
hundred and one; for 1894 and 1895, each ninety-one; during
1896, one hundred and twenty. During 1897 forty-three
applications were made and certificates given in twenty-seven
cases. In 1898, eighty-two certificates were granted after
personal inspection of the premises.
The Act requires that in order that a certificate may be
granted by the Medical Officer of Health, the house be so
constructed as to afford suitable and separate accommodation for
each tenement.
In connection with the granting of these certificates, the
following recommendations have been adopted by the Metropolitan
Branch of the Incorporated Society of Medical Officers of Health.
I. That in no case should a Medical Officer of Health
examine a house with a view to giving a Certificate
under these Acts, until he is absolutely satisfied—
as advised in the letter from the Local Government
Board, dated the 15th August, 1892—that the
house in question comes within the sections of the
Acts.