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50
desire to remedy. But, it may be said, What about the cost ? To
my own mind one of the most satisfactory features of the proposed
plan is, that it mightbe made nearly if not quite self-supporting. Nay!
in good business hands it should produce a profit which might be
applied to the extension to neighbouring parts of the parish, almost
as much in need, the benefits it is calculated to confer on the inhabitants
of "Notting Dale." It is needless to elaborate this
point, however, as necessarily enquiry would precede action. I may,
nevertheless, refer to a concrete case, to which I called attention
in the second report for 1896, when, after dealing with the evil
under the head "Remedies," I, at page 24, dealt also with the
question of "Cost"; showing that the "keeper" of a registered
"lodging-house" in the special area, made a good thing of his
tenancy; the house, moreover, paying the owner a clear nine or ten
per cent. But, it may be urged, that if such is the case, the houses
would be costly to buy. I do not think so. There is reason for
thinking that some of the owners would be rather glad than otherwise
to be quit of their disreputable property; and should it be
necessary, in the last resort, to have recourse to arbitration, the Act
lays down principles, the application of which would tend to keep
down prices to the fair market value, at which the properties would
"pay" the Authority or the Association which might acquire
them. "Rental value " would, no doubt, have to be taken into
consideration, but evidence would be receivable by the arbitrator to
prove—
"(1st) that the rental of the dwelling house was enhanced
by reason of the same being used for illegal purposes,
or being so overcrowded as to be dangerous or injurious
to the health of the inmates ; or
(2ndly) that the dwelling house is in a state of defective
sanitation, or is not in reasonably good repair; or
(3rdly) that the dwelling house is unfit, and not reasonably
capable of being made fit, for human habitation;
and if the arbitrator is satisfied by such evidence, then the compensation
-
(a) Shall in the first case, so far as it is based on rental, be
based on the rental which would have been obtainable
if the house was occupied lor legal purposes, and only
by the number of persons whom the dwelling house
was, under all the circumstances of the case, fitted to
accommodate, without such overcrowding as is
dangerous or injurious to the health of the inmates
and