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207
[1903
besides the want of something non-existent can hardly be described as a
nuisance. Nevertheless a great many staircases have been lighted and ventilated,
despite the fact that the Act provides no efficient or sufficient remedy,
at the request of the inspectors, who have instructions always to require
them—instructions which, the Medical Officer of Health ventures to think,
will meet with the approval of every person who takes an intelligent interest in
public health work.
Customs and Inland Revenue Acts.—Under these Acts exemptions
of house duty are given to the house owners of a certain class of property provided
they can obtain a certificate from the Medical Officer of Health stating
that it affords suitable accommodation and provides proper sanitary conveniences
for the persons dwelling in them. During the year applications respecting fourteen
houses containing 113 dwellings were received. These premises were first
visited by your inspectors to obtain information with respect to these matters,
after which they were visited by your Medical Officer of Health, with the result
that in only 4 instances did he grant his certificate. The chief reasons for his
refusal were either that the w.c.'s were placed in unsuitable positions, that there
was no provision made for washing or drying clothes, that no suitable cupboards
for food storage were provided, that there were no proper coal receptacles, or
that water was not supplied from the rising main direct. Some property
owners seemed to think that these refusals were a great hardship to them, but
then they entirely forget, or choose to forget, that the great object of this
remission of taxation was to enable them to provide those necessary adjuncts
which are so essential both from the point of comfort and of health. Naturally
then where they do not provide them the certificates were refused.
Houses Closed.—Only one house was closed, and this was a signal
man's cottage on the banks of the Regent's Canal. Notices had been served
on the owners to provide means of draining it otherwise than into the canal, but as
they found this to be impossible they elected to close it. The premises were
also damp.
It is very seldom that houses are found in such an insanitary state in this
Borough that Magistrates can be induced to grant closing orders.
Underground Rooms.—Underground occupied rooms are fortunately
not so numerous now in Islington as in other Boroughs, for fortunately
some years ago very stringent action was taken against them, and hundreds