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233
[1908
What followed is best told in a further report of the Medical Officer of
Health to the Public Health Committee, dated January 4th, 1909.
To the Chairman and Members of the
Public Health Committee.
Gentlemen,
Water Supplies to Tenement Houses.
Further report as to the legal position of the Council
in connection therewith, and a letter from the
Solicitor to the L.C.C.
I have to report that I submitted the letter from the Solicitor to the
London County Council which I read at the last meeting of the Committee
to your Solicitor, with the result that while he did not agree with the
meaning as expressed by words in the section which the Solicitor to the
London County Council placed on them, he nevertheless thought that
under the circumstances we might proceed with summonses taken out
under that section.
It so happened that just before the meaning of the section had been
questioned, a summons had been issued against a Mr.A— for not having
a sufficient water supply to a house owned by him, and this was down
for hearing at the Clerkenwell Police Court on the 30th December last.
Mr. Bramall took the opportunity of explaining to the sitting Magistrate,
Mr. Dickenson, the peculiar manner in which the section was worded,
but nevertheless the Magistrate came to the conclusion that it was self-evident
that the meaning of the section was that which the London County
Council placed on it, as otherwise it would be nonsense to have passed it.
I presume therefore that it is now your desire that the outstanding
notices should be enforced by summonses if necessary. Will you kindly
give me your instructions?
I am,
Your faithful servant,
A. E. HARRIS,
Medical Officer of Health.
Town Hall, Islington,
4th January, 1909.
After the magistrate's opinion as to the meaning of the clause was obtained
notices were again served on the owners of houses let in lodgings or occupied
by members of more than one family (of the working class) where such houses
were without a supply of water on one of the upper storeys.
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