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47
habitation, a conclusion in which, after very
careful consideration of the whole of the facts,
I entirely concurred.
"The Public Health (London) Act, 1891,"
gives a Local Sanitary Authority power to
''prohibit a dwelling-house from being used for
human habitation," Sec. 5 (6), but provision is
reserved for the owner to appeal to "a Petty
Sessional Court" (Sub-section 8), who may, if
not satisfied, cancel the closing order, and it
therefore behoves Medical Officers of Health,
upon whom the legislature has imposed the
responsibility of taking the initiative, to observe
the utmost circumspection in advising the
Authority they serve.
It was this latter consideration that induced
me to advise the Committee to hold their hands
for a time in the hope that the property might be
taken down for commercial purposes. I came to
this view with regret in the face of a very strong
expression of opinion on the part of several
influential inhabitants in Bishopsgate.