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45
With regard to the second point, it is suggested that possibly the words of the 94th Section
of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, while they authorise the making and enforcement of a
bye-law for fixing the number of persons who may occupy a house, or part of a house, do not
appear to the Local Government Board to impose upon the occupier of a lodging house the
obligation to produce a card as suggested. It was however pointed out by our Chairman and the
Town Clerk, that there could be no hardship imposed upon the landlord or occupier of a lodging
house, by merely being required to produce the card provided by the authority.
At the conclusion of the interview, Dr. Parsons stated that he was afraid the Local Government
Board would not see their way to alter their views upon the subject; the Town Clerk,
therefore, intimated that if this were so, it would be necessary for the Council to consider whether
they should not instead of repealing the existing bye-laws, retain and enforce them. An
examination of the bye-laws shows that with the exception of a difference in the amount of cubic
space required in the case of a room used both as a sitting room and a bedroom, the bye-laws are
almost identical in their terms. In the St. Giles District they have been in force for very many
years, and have been found to work satisfactorily without causing hardship to the owners or
occupiers of tenement lodging houses. We have given the matter most careful consideration, we
see no reason to advise the Council to alter their previous decision, and if the Local Government
Board still deline to sanction the bye-laws in the form proposed, we think that the application for
confirmation had better be withdrawn and the existing bye-laws continued in force. We
recommend :—
"That the Town Clerk be instructed to address a communication to the Secretary of the
"Local Government Board, and point out that for the reasons stated, the Council cannot see their
"way to depart from their previous decision on the subject of the proposed bye-laws, and intimate
"that in the event of the Local Government Board still feeling themselves unable to confirm the
"bye-laws in the form proposed, that the Council will not proceed further with its application for
"confirmation, but will continue to enforce the existing bye-laws."
Many houses let in lodgings in the Holborn Sub-division have been ordered by the Council
to be registered, but the Council is waiting for the reply from the Local Government Board to the
above Report before having them placed on the Register.
common lodging houses acts, 1851 & 1853.
The Secretary of State, by a Provisional Order which came into operation on the 1st
November, 1894, transferred to the London County Council the powers of the Commissioner of
Metropolitan Police in respect of Common Lodging-houses.

A total of 33 Common Lodgmg-houses registered lor 1,796 Lodgers.
* Part of a Common Lodging-house in the City of Westminster.