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Many houses included in the last column of the return were not let in lodgings or
occupied by members of more than one family, when other houses in the same street, so let, were
registered between 1885 and 1889. Inspections made in 1895 showed that many of the nonregistered
houses were then let in lodgings, and a report to this effect was made to the sanitary
committee. The committee, however, decided, at that time, not to register any more houses
pending the confirmation by the Local Government Board of the proposed new bye-laws. Subsequently,
however, a considerable number of the houses were registered, the committee having
resolved to register tenemented houses. In 1899, 48 houses were registered, 40 in North
Kensington and 8 in South Kensington ; and last year 18 houses.
In the fourth monthly report for 1895 a list was submitted of some of the principal
streets, the houses in which, so far as they were let in lodgings or occupied by members of more
than one family, appeared to be proper to be registered; but no action was taken.
The Advantages of Registration.—Whilst facilitating the work of the public health
department, registration of houses let in lodgings has given rise to none of the evils feared by
the owners and occupiers of houses proposed to be registered; the bye-laws, moreover, have
worked smoothly and practically without objection by any of the parties affected by them.
The extension of the operation of bye-laws to all tenemented houses, and other houses occupied
in lodgings by the poorer classes, would, with an adequate inspecting staff, and systematic
inspection at frequent intervals, be an unmixed benefit, from the public health point of view, by
enabling the sanitary authority to maintain the conditions necessary to secure healthy homes
for the people who, in regard to such matters, have little p>ower to help themselves.
Common Lodging-Houses.—The County Council in 1894 took over from the police the
supervision of common lodging-houses, under the circumstances set out in my annual report for
1893 (p. 207). I am indebted to the Council's medical officer of health for the Return on page 67
of the common lodging-houses in this borough, which are 34 in number, and contain accommodation
for 1,043 persons.
In connection with the inquiry by the special committee of 1896, as to the causes of the
high death-rate in the " Notling-dale " special area, an application was made to the County Council
to define the meaning of the term " common lodging-house," to which a reply was received to the
following effect:—
"The Council is advised that in order to bring a house within the operation of the Common
Lodging-Houses Acts, 1851 and 1853, it is essential that the following facts should
exist: —
"1. The house must be kept by somebody for the purpose of gain.
" 2. It must be open for the reception of all comers as lodgers.
"3. The persons resorting to the house must be of such a class as, if left to themselves,
would either be unwilling or unable to secure cleanliness and prevent overcrowding.
" 4. Some one room or rooms in the house must be used in common by all the lodgers.
"A large variety of circumstances might arise in any particular case which might come
before the Council, but it is safe to say that if in any case one of the four facts abovementioned
were absent, it would be a doubtful question whether the house could be
regarded as a common lodging-house within the meaning and intention of the statutes,
and such a case would need special and particular consideration.
" This opinion has been come to after a careful study of the decisions in the following cases : —
" Booth v. Ferrett.—Decision by Lord Chief Justice Coleridge and Mr. Justice
Mathew.
" Langdon v. Broadbent.—Decision by Mr. Justice Grove and Mr. Justice Lindley."
It thus became manifest that houses in the " Notting-dale " special area could not be dealt
with as common lodging-houses, excepting in so far as they should have been registered as such by
the County Council upon the application of the owners, a fact which the " special committee "
had recognised in their report.