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Careful enquiries were made by Mr. Kershaw, who ascertained that
each house was in fact separately drained in 1868, but that in 1886 the
owner built a back addition to each house and connected the rain water
and bath waste from both houses into the drain of one of the houses,
no notice being given to the local authority. He subsequently sold the
houses. The name and address of this former owner, who was still
living, were ascertained, and the Council, in pursuance of their powers
under section 76 of the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855,
entered the premises and caused the drains of the two houses to be
disconnected, so that each drained separately in accordance with the
plan originally approved by the local authority. The Council then took
out two summonses against the person who had made the combination,
one for making a drain without giving notice, the other to recover
the cost incurred by the Council in disconnecting the drains. The Bench
decided in favour of the Council in both cases, but owing to the lapse
of time, imposed a nominal penalty of 5s., at the same time making an
order for the cost of the work. Nothing more was heard of the claim
that the drain was a "sewer."
Houses Let in Lodgings.
The number of houses registered as houses let in lodgings at the
end of 1909, was 364, an increase of 49 on the number in 1908. The
registered houses are situated chiefly in the following streets:—
Bolton Road. Linstead Street.
Dunboyne Street. Lowfield Road.
Fairfax Mews. Netherwood Street.
Fleet Road. Palmerston Road.
Kelson Street.
The number of tenement houses in Hampstead that might with
advantage be dealt with under the by-laws relating to houses let in
lodgings is considerably in excess of the number actually registered;
but nothing is gained by registering houses that cannot be efficiently
inspected, and the time of the inspectors is so much occupied with other
work that it will be impossible without an increase in the present staff
to cope with a large increase in the number of registered houses. The
list of these houses is, however, steadily increasing, care being taken to
select those houses that stand most in need of the operation of the
by-laws.