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on which the houses abutted, and that the houses had
again become unfit for human habitation. Dr. Bate
stated that in no single instance had the London County
Council yet pointed out (i) any neglect oi the Borough
Council or its predecessor to close a house unfit for
human habitation, or (ii) failure to remove any building
which was an obstructive building within the meaning
of the housing statutes, or (iii) failure to put in force its
powers, as Sanitary Authority, relating to the abatement
of nuisances, the removal of insanitary conditions
throughout the area generally, or otherwise.
Dr. Bate emphatically expressed his opinion that
the density of the population, the excessive death rate,
the narrowness of the streets and the congestion of
buildings confirmed his opinion that the most satisfactory
method of dealing with the evils connected with the
houses, courts and alleys, and the sanitary defects in the
Brady Street area was that the area should be cleared
and dealt with by the London County Council under the
provisions of Part I. of the Housing of the Working
Classes Act, 1890.
Mr. Foot (Chief Sanitary Inspector) corroborated
the evidence of Dr. Bate and produced photographs of
various portions of the area, which were taken under his
supervision on the 17th October, 1913. Mr. Foot also
produced statements showing (a) the number of inspections
made in the area by officers of the Council on
complaints, the number of notices served and the number
of cases abated during the period 1904-1912, and (b)
the dimensions of typical houses, the number of
occupants, frontage of houses, number of rooms, height
of rooms, cubic capacity, rateable value, rental, &c.
Mr. Foot also pointed out that the inspection and repair
of separate houses did not result in the rearrangement of