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The other houses inspected were Mayhew's Buildings, where
the main defects were absence of fireplaces and lack of proper
through ventilation. These are old houses with narrow, winding
staircases, and are built almost entirely of wood.
There were also some houses off High Street, Peckham, in the
Orchard, some of which were of wood, were badly lighted and
ventilated, and were also damp. There is a note also made of
the stairs being defective.
The Committee had also under their consideration the question
of making by-laws relating to the occupation of underground rooms.
The Town Clerk and myself were instructed to draw up a draft set
of by-laws that could be submitted to the Local Government Board
for informal approval before the statutory publication. These were
drawn up and duly forwarded, but were returned with the deletion
of several sections to which the Committee attached importance.
On this it was resolved that the Board be asked to make such bylaws
as they thought just themselves, leaving the duty of carrying
them out to this Council; but in consequence of a further letter
from the Board it was resolved to refer the matter to me to try and
arrange a form with Whitehall which would incorporate the views
of both parties. The chief points at issue between the Board and
the Council are the insistence of the latter on the provision of a
fireplace and chimney to each underground room, and also the
necessity of making provisions for the proper lighting and ventilation
of all staircases and passages leading to such rooms. The Board,
however, did not see their way to accept these enactments, so the
consideration of making any by-laws by this Council has been
adjourned. With the coming into force of this Act it was necessary
to remodel the by-laws with regard to houses let in lodgings.
This was done after consultation with the Board, and an agreement
was come to between myself and them as to a proviso which they
advised, differing somewhat in detail from my own suggestion but
which will secure the object I aimed at.