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The explanation of these results is to be sought in the scope of Section 15 of the Housing
Act, 1909, which authorises the Council to require work of any kind and any extent, provided it
is necessary to render the premises in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation. In these
circumstances it is to be feared that the length of the specifications of work required under this
section has so alarmed property owners that they have emptied their houses rather than comply
with the Council's notices. The notices under the Public Health Act have been less ambitious, but
have still secured the execution of a large amount of valuable and necessary work, and have only
led to the vacation of premises in one instance.
House to House Inspection.—In addition to the inspections which have been carried out
with the formalities required by the Housing (Inspection of District) Regulations, 1910, 1,865
bouse to house inspections have been made during the year for the purpose of detecting and
securing the remedy of sanitary defects. The inspections of registered lodging houses are not
included in this figure.
Underground Rooms,—Twenty-two underground rooms were found to be illegally occupied
during the year. In each case the illegal occupation ceased on the service of a notice, and in
no instance was it found necessary to close the rooms or to institute legal proceedings.
Comprehensive action is being deferred until the Local Government Board have sanctioned the
regulations as to underground rooms which the Council have drafted in pursuance of the powers
conferred by Section 17 of the new Housing Act.
Customs and Inland Revenue Acts.—Under these Acts 152 certificates were issued by
the Medical Officer of Health during the year, in respect to 152 tenements in 58 houses containing
a total number of 169 separate dwellings.