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in lodgings or occupied by more than one family were
recast during the year.
The original By-laws were made by the late Vestry
in 1894, and were in conformity with the model By-laws
of the Local Government Board. We, in common with
other Borough Councils, had experienced great difficulty
in the administration of the original By-laws, as was
apparent in proceedings taken from time to time in the
High Court.
The Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909,
sec. 16, provided against some of the difficulties which
had arisen, and it was referred to the Town Clerk, the
Chief Inspector and myself to prepare new draft Bylaws.
This was done, and the draft was informally
submitted to the Local Government Board, who
approved same with little alteration. The By-laws
were formally made and adopted by the Council on the
20th June, and were sanctioned by the Local Government
Board on the 14th August.
The principal amendments introduced consist of
provisions for the exemption from the operation of the
By-laws of certain classes of lodgings exceeding stated
rental values, for regulating the removal of cases of
infectious disease to hospital, and for the service of
notice in the case of any breach of the By-laws. The
maximum penalty upon conviction for offences has been
increased from two to five pounds, and in case of
repeated offences from ten to forty shillings daily. The
original By-law prohibiting the occupation of a room by
more than two persons above the age of twelve years
and of opposite sexes was omitted, the Local Government
Board being of opinion that such provision might
operate oppressively.