View report page

122
Closing Orders were made in each case by the Council, and the
7 houses (including 3 shops) have since been demolished voluntarily.
In connection with the closing of houses under the Housing,
Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, a total of 101 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 1914, 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) 76 houses have been closed and since demolished ;
(ib) 25 houses have been rendered fit for human habitation.
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, Section 32, from the date upon
which it came into force (viz., August 18th, 1890) up 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 (9 years)—Borough Council 48
Total 385
It must be remembered that the powers under the Housing,
Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, are wider than those under the
Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, and deal with empty
houses as well as with occupied houses; whilst Closing Orders under
the former Act are made by the Borough Council, whereas under the
latter Act such Closing Orders can only be made by a Magistrate,
after taking evidence, in the usual way, in the Court.