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41
During the year, one house let in lodgings, viz., 16, Castle Street, which
was formerly occupied as a common lodging house, was added to the register.
Other houses formerly on the register have been closed for demolition during the
year, and some are now occupied by members of only one family.
During the year there were 1,397 inspections of these premises, excluding a
very large number of periodical inspections and re-inspections. Thirteen notices
were served for 23 over-crowded rooms, and 215 notices for other breaches of the
by-laws, exclusive of more than 600 notices that were served for annual cleansing
as required by the by-laws.
OYER CROWDING.
The number of dwelling rooms found to be over-crowded during the year
was 60, in comparison with 60 during the preceding year. Twenty-three of
these were dealt with as breaches of the by-laws as to houses let in lodgings. In
each case the over crowding was abated without resort to legal proceedings.
There were no night inspections during the year.
HOUSES INFESTED WITH VERMIN.
A number of rooms (at least 50) were freed from vermin during the year
under section 20 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1904.
The majority, however, particularly in the Italian Colony, were carried out
without the necessity of any formal notice being served.
REMOYAL OF HOUSE REFUSE.
The supervision of the removal of house refuse was transferred from the
Borough Surveyor's Department to the Public Health Department on the 26th
June, 1905.
In accordance with the contract, all house refuse has to be removed during
the months April to October, inclusive, at least twice a week, and oftener if
required by the Medical Officer of Health, and in the remaining months, November
to March, at least once in each week and oftener if required. In the main
thoroughfares there is a daily collection.
On the 17th July I reported to the Public Hea'th Committee that there had
been many breaches of the contract respecting the hi-weekly removal, and at an
adjourned meeting the Committee recommended the Council to impose a minimum
penalty of £100. The matter was referred by the Council to a joint meeting of
the Works and General Purposes Committee and the Public Health Committee.
The joint meeting recommended the Council to adopt the recommendation of the
Public Health Committee. This recommendation was approved by the Council,
and the contractor was fined £100. After this the contract was carried out
much more satisfactorily.
As mentioned in my Annual Report for 1905, the contractor was also fined
£100 that year.