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prompt legislation to ensure that the provisions of Bye-laws made by a
local authority and duly confirmed in the manner prescribed by the
Act under which they are made, should have full validity and force.
Overcrowding.
Fourteen complaints of overcrowding were received, but upon
investigation only 6 were found to be accurate, and in each case the
nuisance was abated upon the service of a Notice.
It is interesting to note that in many streets in the Borough where
the mode of occupation of the houses has changed from family residences
to tenement houses, the rooms are both large and lofty. In such cases it
is possible for the rooms to be occupied both for living and sleeping
purposes by several persons, and yet not be overcrowded according to
the standard now usually accepted, viz.:—400 cubic feet per adult (2
children under 10 years of age counting as 1 adult).

The Medical Officer of Health of the London Comity Council in a
Report based upon the figures of the Census of 1901, states that there
are 864 "Overcrowded tenements" in Hampstead, every tenement of
less than 5 rooms occupied to the extent of more than 2 persons per
room being regarded as an overcrowded tenement.
The table which is set out above, shews that on an average 3 persons
may occupy each room in such houses without infringing the law,
consequently the number of overcrowded tenements mnst be considerably
less than the number quoted in the report referred to.