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58
Customs and Inland Revenue Acts, 1890 and 1891.
The reports of the medical officers of health of the following districts show that many applications
were made to them for certificates which would enable the owners of property to claim exemption
from inhabited house duty; in some instances they were granted, in others refused.
Fulham.—Applications refused in respect of 35 houses.
Westminster.—Certificates granted to the owners of 4 houses in Lower Garden-street and
Tuf'ton-street, but an application for Buckingham-chambers was refused as the requirements were
not carried out.
Shoreditch.—The medical officer of health received 19 applications, and certificates were granted
in 9 instances.
St. George, Southwark.—The medical officer of health examined 10 tenements occupied by
about 90 persons, and gave certificates in each case.
Battersea.—A total of 910 tenements have been inspected for this purpose (91 in 1895), and
certificates granted ; " many flats are now being built to obtain exemption."
Wandsworth (Putney).—Four tenements obtained certificates of exemption.
Workmen's Trains.
In my last report I referred to the action taken by the Public Health Committee in connection
with the subject of workmen's trains, to the resolution of the Council to petition the House of
Commons for an inquiry into this subject and into the operation of the Cheap Trains Act, 1883.
On the 3rd December the Council considered the following further report of the Committee,
and adopted the recommendation which was made—
In spite of the provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, there is much overcrowding
in the more central districts of London. The following, amongst other causes, tend to produce this
result, viz., the destruction of working-class dwellings to make room for commercial buildings, such
as factories and warehouses, and the fact that in most districts it is unprofitable to purchase land
on a commercial basis for the purpose of building artizans' dwellings, the rent obtainable from these
dwellings being insufficient to pay for the interest on capital invested in highly-priced land in
addition to the cost of the dwellings. In some other neighbourhoods working-class cottages are being
replaced by lofty mansions. A minor cause is the closing of worn-out and unhealthy houses under
those clauses of the Health and Housing Acts which do not require that the inhabitants shall be
re-housed. The natural cure for this evil is that workmen should live further from the centre, in
districts where land is cheaper; but to effect this very desirable result it is necessary that there should
be cheap means of locomotion from the central districts where the work is done to the less crowded
neighbourhoods. On this question we reported fully on May 8th, 189-A, and the Council then instructed
the Parliamentary Committee to prepare a petition to be presented to the House of Commons praying
for an inquiry into the subject of workmen's trains and the operation of the Cheap Trains Act, 1883.
The Parliamentary Committee subsequently reported that it was not desirable to take this course, and
suggested that members of the Council who were also members of the House should be requested to
support the reference of the question to a Select Committee when the Cheap Trains (London) Bill was
again before the House. The subject was, however, not dealt with in the last session of Parliament, and
as-we are convinced that there is much need for inquiry into this question, we think that action should
forthwith be taken to give effect to the Council's resolution. We therefore recommend that the
Committee be authorised to address a communication to Her Majesty's Government, pointing out the
desirability of an inquiry being made into the subject of workmen's trains and the operation of the Cheap
Trains Act, 1883.
The Regulation of Houses let in Lodgings.
During the year the work of making by-laws for houses let in lodgings was in progress, and in
ten instances such by-laws were confirmed by the Local Government Board. At the end of 1895 every
authority but one had either regulations made under the Sanitary Act of 1866 or by-laws made under
the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, relating to this subject in force in their district. Certain
authorities having regulations made under the Act of 1866, have made by-laws under the Act of 1891
which were still awaiting the confirmation of the Local Government Board at the end of 1895.
The annual reports, relating to the following districts, refer to the subject of houses let in
lodgings—
Paddington.—" Efforts were made during the year to place some of the houses in North
Paddington on the register, but the work was pushed aside by pressure of other matters."
Kensington.—The vestry has adopted by-laws modifying the existing regulations; they are now
awaiting confirmation by the Local Government Board. Nothing has been done towards the
registration of houses in fresh streets since the Public Health Act was passed, it seeming desirable to
wait until the by-laws were made and confirmed.
Hammersmith.—The by-laws adopted by the vestry await confirmation by the Local Government
Board.
Fulham.—Steps are now being taken to register houses under the by-laws which were confirmed
by the Local Government Board in November, 1895.
Chelsea.—The preparation of by-laws is still under the consideration of the Public Health
Committee of the vestry.
St. George, Hanover-square.— The houses let in lodgings (73) "have been inspected, and the
regulations as to cleansing complied with."
Westminster.—Considerable progress has been made in the number of houses registered and
inspected; during the year 575 houses were registered, and it is hoped that before the end of 1896 all
the houses let in lodgings in both parishes will have been registered.
St. James, Westminster.—The vestry decided during the year to take steps to re-register
certain houses under the by-laws recently made and confirmed.
Hampstead.—34-3 houses were regularly inspected.
St. Pancras.—The number of houses registered is 126.