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155
On the subject of Tenancy, I stated that—
In the houses let in lodgings (for there are some houses occupied
by single families) the rooms are very seldom let by the week, a rent
book being supplied. In a considerable proportion of the weekly
tenancies the rooms are let "unfurnished." In almost every instance
the "furnished" rooms are let by the night; sometimes, however, a
room is let for seven nights on the prepayment of the rent for six
nights. Generally, the nightly rent is paid in advance. No doubt
bad debts are sometimes made, especially in the case of weekly tenants
with rent books; but on the whole there is good reason for believing
that the "house-farmers," of whom there are not a few, manage to
make a good living by their business. The Sanitary Committee
requested the Law and Parliamentary Committee to advise them "as
to whether a large number of the houses . . . could not be
registered as common lodging-houses?"; and it would be well if this
could be done. But it is impracticable, as, according to the Law
Officers of the Crown, who were consulted many years ago. the term
"common lodging house" appears "to have reference to that class of
lodging-houses in which persons of the poorer class are received for
short periods, and. though strangers to one another, are allowed to
inhabit one common room:" the "obvious intention" of the law
being "to distinguish lodgers promiscuously brought together from
members of one family or household." The period of letting is
unimportant in determining whether a lodging-house comes under the
Common Lodging-Houses Act. It signifies little that, "if the inmates
of a lodging-house allege that they are members of the same family,
the burden of proving such allegation lies on the persons making it,"
for there is no one interested in the question; disproof, moreover,
would be in many cases impossible. In the case of a common lodginghouse
there is a common sitting room or kitchen in which the lodgers
rest and cook their food. The bedrooms are furnished with bedsteads,
necessary bedding, and chamber utensils, and, so far as my observation
goes, with nothing else. Such houses are. in this parish, regularly
cleansed, ventilated, &c.. and generally kept in good sanitary condition.
It is, as a rule, far otherwise in regard to the houses let in lodgings
even when these are "registered," as most of the houses in the district
are, the necessary supervision being impracticable.
Remedies.—Under this heading I observed that it would naturally
be asked, 'Is there no remedy for the state of affairs found to prevail
in the district? and, Can nothing be done to improve the general
health, to lessen the excessive mortality? The answer to these
questions, I said, is that everything should be done that can be done
to enforce the provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and
the bye laws framed thereunder. But to secure this, the most essential