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36
CANAL BOATS ACTS, 1877 AND 1884.
By virtue of the Local Government Board Regulations of May 17th, 1878, the Paddington Borough
Council is one of the Registration Authorities for the Regent's and Grand Junction Canals. The
Medical Officer of Health is the Examining Officer for the purpose of the Regulations, and during the
year 1926 Mr. E. J. Potter was Inspector of Canal Boats.
Canal Boat Children.—During the year the Medical Officer of Health, in co-operation with the
School Medical Officer of the London County Council, carried out an investigation into the health and
welfare of children living on canal boats. It was found that as regards general health, physique,
nutrition, cleanliness, foot-gear and clothing, the children were below the standard of children of
similar social status living in houses. It appeared that the Council had very little power to effect
any improvement in these conditions, largely due to the confined and overcrowded conditions in which
these children live. Possibly the school medical service of the County Council might effect some
improvement by the further exercise of their powers. A copy of the Medical Officer's report was sent
to the Minister of Health and the London County Council.
The Medical Officer of Health reported further as to the presence of children upon canal boats
engaged in the transport from Paddington of street and house refuse and other offensive cargoes.
These boats are no longer horse-drawn, but steam-towed the whole distance, seldom more than a
dozen miles from London. There appears to be no need for children to be on board such boats. In
October, 1926, the Council passed the following resolution:—
" That the Minister of Health be informed that the presence of children on canal boats
carrying offensive cargoes should be prohibited by regulation."
The following report was made to the Council by the Medical Officer of Health, and was adopted
by the Council as their statutory report to the Minister of Health as required by the Canal Boats
Act, 1884.

On no occasion was admission to a boat refused, and no legal proceedings were necessary
against either the owner or occupier of any boat. Six notices were served and 4 letters sent
relating to registration of boats, etc.
One case of acute influenzal pneumonia (male, aged 13) and 1 of pulmonary tuberculosis
(male, aged 25) were notified during the year.
Two boats were registered owing to change of ownership. There were no registrations
of boats propelled by steam or motor power.
Sixty-two children were found to be living on the boats inspected, 36 being of school.ages
The boats on the Register at the end of 1926 totalled 243, 1 being a motor-boat. Of this
number only about half can be traced.
The annual cleansing and repairing operations at Paddington Basin were carried out during the
Easter holidays. About 745 tons of mud were removed, 560 square yards of concreting laid, 279
cubic feet of brickwork repaired, and 195 feet of concrete coping were done by the Grand Junction
Canal Company.
HOUSING.
Conversions.—Section 102 of the Housing Act 1925 empowers a County Court to vary the terms
of a lease or other instrument so as to enable a house to be converted into tenements, notwithstanding
any restrictive covenant there may be to the contrary. No applications under this Section
were made during the year.
Plans were submitted to the Council under the drainage bye-laws, relative to the conversion of
28 premises into 88 tenements. It is probable that a number of other conversions were carried out
in which no interference with existing drainage was involved. Such conversions would not come
within the purview of the department.
Compulsory Repairs.—No notices were served under section 3 of the Housing Act 1925, but 457
letters were sent to owners drawing attention to defects liable to be dealt with under the section.
These letters in most instances resulted in the defects being remedied.