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5
Members of the Board will remember that the years 1891
and 1892 were chiefly occupied by putting in force the powers
given to local authorities by the Housing of the Working
Classes Act, 1890, and the Public Health Act, 1891. The
Board, on my advice, caused the demolition or closing of a
large number of houses which were unfit for human habitation.
In 1891 I gave certificates in the case of 67 houses, 52 of
which were closed by a magistrate's order, 45 being afterwards
demolished; 15 were closed, or the work done, without
the magistrate's order, and 4 of these were voluntarily
demolished by the owners. In 1892 the Public Health Act
much altered our procedure, when 12 houses were closed
under the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 9 being
subsequently demolished, and no less than 49 houses Were
closed under the Public Health (Loudon) Act, 19 being by a
magistrate's order. I am of opinion that the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, has, to a great extent, replaced the
Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890. I now only give
a certificate under the latter Act when I am of opinion that
the case is one for demolition. It is obvious that a house may
be unfit for human habitation at the time of inspection, and
yet it may be quite possible, by spending sufficient money, to
make it habitable. Under these circumstances I should
proceed under the Public Health (London) Act; if on the
other hand, from want of air space or from general structural
arrangement, no amount of expenditure could make the house
habitable, I proceed under the Housing of the Working
Classes Act. This year most of the work has been taken
under the Public Health (London) Act, and consequently an
enormous amount of work, chiefly with regard to drainage,