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local authority with a view to the making of closing orders, the number
of closing orders made, the number of dwelling-houses the defects in which
were remedied without the making of closing orders, the number of
dwelling-houses which after the making of closing orders were put into a
fit state for human habitation, and the general character of the defects
found to exist. He shall also include any other information and particu.
lars which he may consider desirable in regard to the work of inspection
under the said Section.
Article VI.—The Medical Officer of Health and any other Officer of
the local authority shall observe and execute all lawful orders and directions
of the local authority in regard to or incidental to the inspection of
the district of the local authority under and for the purposes of Section 17
of the Act of 1909, and the execution of these Regulations.
Article VII.—In these Regulations "the Act of 1909" means the
Housing, Town Planning, Ac., Act, 1909.
Article VIII.—These Regulations may be cited as the Housing
(Inspection of District) Regulations, 1910.
On the 17th November the Council considered the regulations, and
decided that the present staff of the Public Health Department was
inadequate to carry out the duties imposed by the regulations, and that
it would be necessary to appoint an additional inspector for that purpose.
Mr. A. C. Townsend, of Bermondsey, was appointed, but his appointment
was not made and confirmed until April, 1911.
One house, namely, No. 83, Palmerston Road, was represented
under Section 17 of the Act as unfit for habitation, and on January
12th the Council made a closing order on the house. The owner
appealed against the closing order to the Local Government Board, but
at the time of writing the appeal has not been decided.
One of the most important provisions of the Act is that relating to
underground rooms. Under the Public Health Act underground rooms
cannot be occupied separately as dwellings unless they comply with
certain provisions which are specified in detail in the Act. These,
however, do not apply if the rooms are occupied with a room or rooms
on an upper floor. The new Act provides that every underground room
that is habitually used as a sleeping place must be at least seven feet in
height on an average from floor to ceiling, and must comply wth such
regulations as the Sanitary Authority, with the consent of the Local
Government Board, may make,