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175
During 1912, 44 houses were dealt with by Closing
Orders, and of these, 39 have since been demolished, 4 are
being rendered fit for human habitation and 1 has not yet
been dealt with owing to legal difficulties as to ownership.
In connection with the closing of houses under the
Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, a total of 70
dwelling houses within the Borough have been represented
by the Medical Officer of Health as being unfit for human
habitation from the time the Act came into force (December
3rd, 1909) until the end of 1912, and Closing Orders have
been made by the Borough Council, as the Local Authority,
in connection therewith under Section 17 of the Act, "with
the result that:—
(a) 36 houses have been since demolished;
(b) 26 houses have been closed; and
(c) 8 houses have been, or are in process of being,
rendered fit for human habitation (4 houses
completed).
In addition to the houses mentioned above, 27 houses
have been dealt with under Section 15 of the Act, and
voluntarily closed and since demolished by the owners.
Comparison may be made with similar work (closure of
dwelling houses) carried out under the Housing of the
Working Classes Act, 1890, prior to the introduction of
the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909,—a period
of 19 years—during which a total of 385 houses were dealt
with by notices served by the late Vestry and the present
Borough Council, under Section 32 of the Housing of the
Working Classes Act, 1890, on the representation of the
Medical Officer of Health that such dwelling houses were
unfit for human habitation, viz.:—
(a) 1891 to 1900 (10 years)—old Vestry 337
(b) 1901 to 1909 79 years)—Borough Council 48
Total 385