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1899]
206
INSPECTOR JORDAN'S REPORT.
Public Health Department,
Vestry Offices,
Upper Street, N.
January, 1900.
To A. E. Harris, Esq.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Dear Sir,
In submitting this report of the works carried out during the year 1899
under my supervision, according to Section 94 of the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, in respect to houses let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one
family, I am sorry to say that there is not much new matter to report to you. The
work of the lodging-house inspector is one constant fight with dirty and destructive
tenants and neglectful owners and agents.
Again the overcrowding question is a matter of great concern, the poor people
with a family only being able in most cases to obtain accommodation in a house
already occupied by families with children, and for which accommodation a very
high rent has to be paid. The abatement of overcrowding is a slow process, the
difficulty of obtaining fresh apartments, with additional rent in most cases, causes
delays, and often when notices have long expired the magistrate has then given
another three or four weeks to the defendant to get out.
I served 259 intimation notices for the abatement of nuisances, and during the
month of March I served a cleansing notice at each of the 459 houses on the
register, calling the landlords' attention to By-law 17 re annual cleansing in the
month of April.
During the year I have made 5,210 inspections and 1,206 re-inspections and
calls, and have had 1,704 improvements carried out on 1,054 premises,* the tabulated
statement attached hereto showing the details under their respective headings.
Forty-six houses were added to the Register during 1899, and as each house
has to be measured up room by room for its cubic capacity to be obtained, and as
the improvements required must be supervised, my duty has found me plenty of
work.
I am, Sir,
Yours respectfully,
JAMES J. JORDAN,
Inspector of Houses let in Lodgings.
* Some of the premises had nuisances abated on several occasions.