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Wharf and a further protest from l6 tenants living in Spring
Lane against the closing orders, requesting the orders be rescinded
on various grounds. A protest was also received from the Solicitors
to the ground landlords against the closing of the houses in Middlesex
Wharf. The various letters and representations were considered
by the Public Health Committee, and it was resolved that as long
a time as possible be accorded to the occupiers of the houses in
question to give up possession.
Certain difficulties were afterwards encountered in ascertaining
the names of the owners of the properties affected, but before the
end of 1918, all the notices were served upon the owners and
occupiers.
The owners, however, of the houses 20 to 42, and 57 to 91,
Middlesex Wharf, and 10 to 16, Spring Lane, considered themselves
injured and aggrieved by the proposal to close these premises,
maintaining that they were not so dangerous or injurious to health
as to be unfit for human occupation, and notices of appeal were
given respectively by them to the Local Government Board within
the period of fourteen days prescribed by sub-section (3) of the Act.
The Local Government Board thereupon directed a public
enquiry into the subject, and W. H. Collin, Esq. was appointed
to hold the enquiry at the Town Hall, Hackney, on 14th April,
1919.
On behalf of the Council, it was pointed out to the Inspector
of the Local Government Board at the enquiry that the houses
were within an area which from time to time became flooded by
the overflow of the River Lea, and sometimes for several weeks
the lower parts of the houses were flooded or affected by dampness
to a height of several feet from the ground. When the floods
subsided, slimy deposit was left behind on and under the floors, and
in many cases the furniture in the lower rooms was much affected