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payable at such time or times as the Council and the vestry or district board shall agree, the reference to
the Secretary of State to be only in default of agreement, with power to him to order payment from time
to time and in such amounts as he shall determine.
(j) That an amendment of the Act be sought which shall enable a vestry or district board to pay or
contribute to the payment of the expenses of and incidental to a scheme, and carrying the same into effect
—the application to the Secretary of State to be only necessary in cases where the Council and the vestry
or district board do not agree.
(k) That a provision be inserted in the Act empowering local authorities carrying out schemes under
Part II. of the Act to acquire under such schemes neighbouring lands necessary for the better development
of the area comprised in the schemes.
Parts I. and II.
(I) That an amendment of the Act be sought so as to enable a test award to be obtained from the
standing arbitrator under any scheme; the minimum period to elapse between the service of any further
offers and the sitting of the arbitrator to hear each case in connection therewith to be 21 days.
(m) That an amendment of the Act be sought by the omission of the words which provide that the
standing arbitrator shall ascertain the amount which the local authority may be willing to pay.
Part I.
(n) That an amendment of the Act be sought, so that the City of London shall in future contribute
towards the expenses of schemes carried out by the Council, and so that the Council may in turn also
contribute towards the expenses of schemes carried out by the City authorities.
(o) That an amendment of the Act be sought by the insertion of a clause empowering the Council to
acquire the superior interest only in property coloured blue in a scheme under Part I. of the Act, leaving
the subordinate interests to expire by the effluxion of time.
Parts I. and II.
(p) That an amendment of the Act be sought in the direction of the repeal of the incorporation of
section 193 of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845, so far as it applies to Parts I. and II. of the
Act.
Parts II. or IV.
(q) That an amendment of the Act be sought, so that the consent to the sale of any portion of the site
of an obstructive building and the approval of the application of the proceeds of such sale shall rest with
the same Government department.
The regulation of houses let in lodgings.
In June, 1896, I presented to the Public Health Committee a report showing the results of
inquiries by Dr. Hamer as to the operation in London of by-laws concerning houses let in lodgings.
It was found that in every London district either by-laws made under the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, or regulations made under the Sanitary Act, 1866, existed, but in very few districts had any
serious effort been made to enforce them. A copy of this report will be found in the appendix (see
Appendix IV.).
In the few districts in which such effort has been made, the results have been distinctly encouraging,
and it was obviously important that there should be no longer delay on the part of other sanitary
authorities in applying these regulations to tenemented houses needing special treatment, particularly
those in which overcrowding occurred and recurred.
The Public Health Committee reported on this subject to the Council in November, and the
Council in the following month, on the recommendation of the committee, adopted a resolution " to make
further inquiry at Midsummer, 1897, as to the extent to which by-laws or regulations dealing with
houses let in lodgings are enforced in the several sanitary districts of London with a view to the Council
making a representation to the Local Government Board under section 101 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, in the case of any sanitary authority which is not by that time carrying out the
provisions of section 94 of the Act." The Council also directed that a copy of the committee's report
and of the Council's resolution thereon, be sent to each of the London sanitary authorities.
The reports of medical officers of health contain the following references to this subject—
Kensington.—The medical officer of health gives account of the proceedings in respect to the
making of by-laws in supersession of existing regulations made under the Act of 1866. By-laws had
been made by the Vestry of Kensington, and were subsequently returned by the Local Government
Board with suggested amendments. He adds that " nothing has been done towards the registration of
houses since the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, came into operation ; the Sanitary Committee
considering it desirable that new registrations should be made subject to by-laws conforming to the
provisions of that Act, as recommended by the Local Government Board in 1892." His report contains
a tabular statement showing, with regard to certain streets, the number of houses registered in each
street and the number of houses not so registered. A summary for the whole district showing 1,543
houses registered and 602 houses in these streets not registered. He writes, " inspections made in
1895 showed that many of the non-registered houses were at that time so occupied (i.e., let in lodgings
or occupied by more than one family), and a report to that effect was made to the Sanitary Committee.
The committee however decided not to register any more houses pending the confirmation by the
Local Government Board of the proposed new by-laws."
Hammersmith.—The report by the vestry contains the by-laws which were confirmed in April,
1896.
St. George, Hanover-square.—There are 95 registered houses let in lodgings. They have been
inspected and the regulations as to cleansing complied with.
Westminster.—During the year under the by-laws for houses let in lodgings 1,811 inspections
were made, 1,085 registration notices served, and 12 houses registered. A midnight inspection of 40
tenements in Lewisham-street showed most of the rooms to be slightly overcrowded. In four cases of
excessive overcrowding penalties were obtained. Altogether, nine summonses were taken out for breach
of by-laws, resulting in the recovery of £3 11s. fines and 18s. costs.
St. Marylebone.—1,154 inspections were made.