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97
II.—UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON)
ACT, 1891.
This Act contains a number of sections dealing with house
property and the abatement of nuisances (including overcrowding).
It also includes provisions as to the occupation of underground
rooms as dwellings. These are matters of the first importance, and
it is, of course, the recognised duty of the sanitary authority to
enfoi'ce them. The Authority which exercises its powers under this
Act is adopting a line of policy the tendency of which will be to
prevent property becoming insanitary and the enforcement of houseowners'
duties. It is matter for regret that in certain cases this
involves hardship upon tenants.
Section 94 of the Public Health (London) Act lays upon every
sanitary authority the making and enforcing of bye-laws as to houses
let in lodgings. Such bye-laws are to fix the number of persons who
may occupy a house or part of a house which is let in lodgings or
occupied by members of more than one family, and for the separation
of the sexes in a house so let or occupied, to register and inspect
houses so let or occupied; to enforce efficient drainage, and promote
cleanliness (including lime-washing at stated times) and ventilation
in such houses; and to take precautions in case of infectious disease.
This section does not apply to common lodging houses.
Bye-laws under this section were made and enforced by the late
Vestries of Clerkenwell and St. Luke, and 351 houses were placed
on the register, and came under inspection, &c. New Bye-laws are
now in force under the Borough Council. The work of placing
houses on the register should be steadily proceeded with, for by this
means sanitary requirements are secured for the houses in the
Borough which are the most difficult to supervise. In these Byelaws
the Borough Council possesses a powerful instrument for
effectually maintaining a high standard of sanitation in tenement
houses.
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