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Clerkenwell 45 notices were served in respect of houses registered. In Shoreditch registered houses
were inspected. In St. George-in-the-East 639 inspections were made of registered houses. In
St. George-the-Martyr, Soutliwark, regulations were under revision, the insufficiency of the sanitary staff
having previously rendered impossible the enforcement of those already in operation. In Bermondsey
16 houses were added to those on the register, the total number registered being 294. In Wandsworth
the drafting of by-laws was deferred until model by-laws had been received from the Local Government
Board. The report of the Vestry of Camberwell states that regulations had already been made under
the Sanitary Act, 1866. In Greenwich 8 houses were registered during the year. In Lewisham the
report of the Lewisham District Board shows that registered houses were inspected during the year.
Supervision of Common Lodging Houses in London.
The subject of supervision of common lodging houses in London was under the consideration of
the Council during the year on the report of the Public Health and Housing Committee, which
recommended that there should be, (1) an annual registration; (2) that regulations should be made by
the Council and enforced by the sanitary authorities instead of the police; (3) that the right of entry
possessed by the police should be retained.
Underground Rooms.
The law relating to the separate occupation as dwellings of underground rooms has been materially
altered by the Public Health (London) Act. The conditions under which such rooms were permitted to
be occupied had been prescribed by the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855, and these provisions
had remained unaltered until the Act of 1891 came into force.
The Act of 1855 made distinction between such rooms occupied separately as dwellings antecedent
to the passing of that Act, and those which were first occupied subsequent to 1855. The Act of 1891
attaches more stringent conditions to the separate occupation of underground rooms, and provides that six
monthsafter the commencement of the Act these provisions shall apply equally to rooms occupied antecedent
to the Act, except that the sanitary authority either by general regulations providing for classes of underground
rooms or on the application of the owner of such room in any particular case, may dispense with or
modify any of the requirements of the Act which involve the structural alteration of the building, if they
are of opinion that they can properly do so having regard to the fitness of the room for human habitation,
to the house accommodation in the district, and to the sanitary condition of the inhabitants, andto other
circumstances, but any condition which was required before the passing of the Act of 1891 must not
be so dispensed with or modified. In the event of the owner of an underground room feeling himself
aggrieved by a refusal of dispensation or modification, he may appeal to the Local Government Board.
Before 1891 it was the duty of the district surveyors to report to the sanitary authority and to
the Council the illegal occupation of underground rooms. These officers have been relieved of this duty
by the Act of that year.
The report of the medical officers of health of the following districts show the steps taken under
the Act.
Chelsea—5 rooms were found occupied contrary to Act.
St. George, Hanover-square—The separate use of 12 rooms discontinued.
Westminster—In the Parish of St. John all underground rooms were measured and registered,
and 173 notices served. It was hoped that the following year underground rooms in the Parish of St.
Margaret would be dealt with in a similar manner.
St. James, Westminster—The separate use of 138 rooms was discontinued.
Marylebone—959 separately occupied underground rooms were inspected.
Hampstead—The separate occupation of 6 underground rooms was discontinued.
St. Pancras ,, ,, 38 „ „
Islington „ „ 6 „ „
Hackney—Penalties were obtained against the owners of two underground rooms.
St. Giles— In 26 instances the separate occupation of an underground room was discontinued or
alterations effected.

The medical officer of health of Wandsworth (Clapham) writes—" Underground rooms are now
under the jurisdiction of the Board when occupied separately from any room above ground. The number
thus occupied is not great though a great many are used for sleeping and living in, which escape regulation
by reason of a single room above ground being used by the same people. It is obviously just as important
that the basement rooms should be well ventilated and healthy, if used for sleeping in, when let along with
one or more sleeping rooms above ground. I think that an amendment of the law to apply the statutory
regulations to them also would be of great value. Another difficulty found in dealing with underground