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26
Upon staying these proceedings, the Vestry referred my reports and those
of the Surveyor to a Special Committee, composed of the Sanitary Committee
and the Chairman of the other permanent Committees, who, having inspected
the houses, directed that proceedings should be taken under the Nuisances
Removal Acts, with a view to the closing of the houses as unfit for human
habitation, pending the execution of such structural and other works as were
necessary to render them fairly habitable.
62 Summonses were therefore issued in respect to the same number of
houses, and of these 35 were ordered to be closed and repaired, and 27 to be
repaired without closing. 33 of these houses have since been generally repaired
and improved, 29 being still closed, but of which 4 are now being repaired.
Of the other 14 houses reported, numbered 10, 11, 13 and 14 respectively
(all of which were dealt with by representation to the Owners without summonses
being issued) 9 have been repaired, 4 are being repaired, and 1 is being
demolished.
The repairs and alterations which have been effecte.d will no doubt conduce,
for the time being, to the comfort of the occupiers, but it is scarcely to
be expected that the works carried out will prove to be of so permanent a
character as could be desired in respect to those of the houses which were recommended
for demolition as being incapable of structural improvement.
REGISTRATION OF HOUSES LET IN LODGINGS, &c.
The Special Committee already referred to, dealt also with the question of
the Registration of Houses let in Lodgings or occupied by members of more
than one family, and a copy of the Regulations made with respect to such
houses by the Vestry, and confirmed by the Local Government Board, under
the provisions of the 35th Section of the Sanitary Act, 1866, and the 47th
Section of the Sanitary Laws Amendment Act, 1874, is appended hereto.
The necessary Registration of each house and room and the enforcement
of these Regulations will entail a largely increased amount of extra work upon
the Sanitary Department of your Vestry, and it is very doubtful whether the
results will prove to be in any way commensurate, either to the work which
will be involved or to the expectations of those who have anticipated the
accomplishment of great things by means of the Regulations which are now
being put in force.