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was cleared, the last two houses being demolished in
July, and the tenders for the new buildings (to be called
the Wenlake Buildings) were accepted by the County
Council on December 8th, 1903, and the laying of the
foundations began on February 8th, 1904. From August,
1900, to December, 1903, 3½ years, had been occupied
in the process of the execution of the scheme, prior to
re-building.]
II.—INSANITARY AREAS IN FINSBURY
UNDER THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.
(Part ii. of the Housing Act and the Public
Health (London) Act.
During the year a large amount of attention has been devoted
to a number of small insanitary areas unsuitable for treatment
by the London County Council, under Part I. of the Housing
of the Working Classes Act. These have, therefore, been
approached from the point of view of Part II. of the Act, which
is applicable to all Sanitary Districts, and may be enforced by
the Local Authority. It provides inter alia for the closure and
demolition of buildings which are unfit for human habitation.
In dealing with such houses the procedure to be adopted must
depend upon a variety of circumstances. In some cases it is
preferable to proceed under the Housing Act (Part ii.), in other
cases under the Public Health (London) Act, which is also
enforceable by the Local Authority. These two Acts furnish
the Borough Council with considerable powers, of which it should
avail itself if necessary.
Before advising the Council to put these powers into force, I
have made it my duty to see the owner in each of the following
areas, and have fully set before him, or his solicitors, the various
defects of the property. Further, I have pointed out, where
necessary in unmistakable terms, that unless the owner himself
would sufficiently repair or close the properties in question, it
would be necessary for me to proceed under the Acts abovementioned.
It has seemed to me that this method of first