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237
[1909
have been sent out in March but for the result of the appeal in Arlidge v.
Islington Borough Council, already alluded to. Letters have, however, been
written to the owners, requesting them to carry out the annual cleansing as
usual, and they were all duly attended to.
It may be stated, as was pointed out in the report, that fully half the time
of one Inspector is spent in this road, the meaning of which may be better
appreciated when it is understood that if all the houses in the borough, which
numbered 38,045 at the last census, received the same attention as the 79
houses let in furnished and unfurnished lodgings in Campbell Road, 230
inspectors would be required to perform the work.
In his report to the Council, the Medical Officer of Health pointed out that
some very strong powers were required to effectively control these so-called
furnished lodging houses, and it seemed to him that the only way in which such
control could be exercised was to be obtained by legislation which would enable
the London County Council to make by-laws similar to those relating to
common lodging houses, so that—
(1) They should be licensed every year.
(2) The bedding and furniture should be always kept in a cleanly state.
(3) The dilapidations of all kinds should be promptly made good, and
the houses generally kept in good condition.
(4) They should be under the supervision of the Common Lodging House
Inspectors of the London County Council.
The Medical Officer of Health has conferred with a few of the Metropolitan
Medical Officers of Health on this subject, and they have arrived at
similar conclusions.
Since the report was issued to the Council, the Medical Officer of Health
has had an opportunityof placing his view before the Public Health Committee
of the London County Council. Since that date a new Committee has been
elected, and he has not been able, so far, to ascertain the views that are now
held at Spring Gardens.
A special inspection was also made of Queensland Road, in which 27
houses, containing 109 rooms, are let out as furnished lodgings, and in these