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70
the President of the Local Government Board informed the House that he
was on the eve of introducing such a measure, An undertaking was then
given on behalf of the London County Council that Part III. would be
withdrawn, and the Bill read a second time.
Section 13 of the Act gives sanitary authorities in the Metropolis power to
require owners of tenement houses to provide suitable accommodation for
storage of food for the use of each family in the storey, or one of the storeys
in which are situate the rooms or lodgings in the separate occupation of
each family.
The requirement is not retrospective, and only applies to tenement houses
used or occupied as such after the passing of the Act.
The Corporation is defined as the local authority for the administration of
this section in the City.
As an example of legislation by reference it may be mentioned that a
"tenement house" is defined as any house occupied by any person of the
working class which is wholly or partially let in lodgings, or which is
occupied by members of more than one family.
"Working class" has the same meaning as in the schedule to "the Houses
of the Working Class Act, 1903," which is as under:—
"The expression 'working class' includes mechanics, artisans,
"labourers and others working for wages; hawkers, costermongers,
"persons not working for wages but working at some trade or handicraft
"without employing others except members of their own family, and
"persons other than domestic servants whose income in any case does
"not exceed an average of thirty shillings a week, and the families of
"any of such persons who may be residing with them."
This Act received the Royal Assent on the 16th August, 1909.