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GENERAL
REGISTERS IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
In some form or other registers play an important part in the administration
of a public health department. In quite a number of cases
the keeping of a register is laid down by statute but in others although
not compulsory its use is vital for the efficient administration of the
Department.
Of the various registers kept in the health department no less than
26 are in frequent use; and it seems appropriate to include a reference
to their function in this Report.
1. House-to-House Inspection. Housing Act, 1936, Sec. 5, lays
upon the local authority the duty of inspecting their district to ascertain
whether houses are unfit for human habitation, and Sec. 91 of the
Public Health Act, 1936, requires inspection to detect statutory
nuisances. In addition to the bare details of nuisances and unfit houses
much information is obtained of social importance.
2. Houses in Clearance Area. Housing Act, 1936, Sec. 25. Record
of all properties in a clearance area is kept, together with information
regarding rehousing of the occupants and demolition of the properties.
Quarterly returns are made to the Ministry of Housing and Local
Government.
3. Individual Unfit Houses
Repairs
Housing Act, 1936, Sec. 9.
Demolition Orders
Housing Act, 1936, Sec. 11. Housing Repairs and Rents
Act, 1954. Sec. 5.
Closing Orders
Housing Act, 1936, Sec. 12. Local Government (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act, 1953. Sees. 10 and 11. Housing Act,
1949. Sec. 3.
A separate register is kept of these—Sec. 9 of the Housing Act
gives the local authority power to require repair of an insanitary
house and Sees. 11 and 12 provide for demolition of a house or closing
of part of a house if repairs cannot be carried out at reasonable cost.
In order to preserve as many houses as possible in the present
housing shortage, Section 5 of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act
gives the Local Authority power to postpone the enforcement of a
demolition order if it is satisfied that reconstruction is to be carried
out which will render the house fit for habitation.
The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act provides
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