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245
INSANITARY PROPERTY.
To the Health Committee.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,—
In accordance with the instructions of the Council, I beg
to submit my report as Medical Officer of Health on the
question of dealing with insanitary property in the Borough
of Battersea under the Housing of the Working Classes Act,
1890. I propose restricting my report to the advantages of
the Housing Act, and the desirability of putting its provisions
into force as occasion may require, together with the reasons
for so doing.
The Solicitor will deal with the legal aspects of the Act,
as to procedure, &c.
My attention has been much engaged for some considerable
time with this subject of insanitary houses, and the
difficulty at times encountered in dealing therewith, e.g., in
getting owners of such houses to put them into proper order
and condition, and so render them fit for human habitation,
under the powers vested in Sanitary Authorities under the
Public Health Acts. Such difficulties will be realised when I
remind the Council that over twelve months ago a Closing
Order, under the Public Health Act, was obtained from the
Magistrate in connection with certain premises within the
Borough, and that up to date such order has not been
enforced, owing to the practical difficulties met with. As
Medical Officer of Health, therefore, I advise the Council to
take advantage of the powers conferred on them under Part 2
of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890. These
powers, so far as I can ascertain, have never been exercised
by the Sanitary Authority of Battersea, though it would
appear that other Metropolitan Sanitary Authorities have used
them with advantage. The Annual Reports of the London
County Council from 1890-1905 show that nearly 5,000