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Appended is a report on the accommodation for women in common lodging-houses which
was presented to the Public Health Committee in July, 1902. The report shows that as compared
with the numbers five years before, there has been increase in the number of women's beds by
some 500, this increase being partially accounted for by the inclusion among the registered
houses of a shelter containing from 200 to 300 beds. Particulars as to the accommodation provided
for women will be found in the report (see Appendix IV.).
In 1902, the Council obtained powers under the General Powers Act of that year for the
annual licensing of common lodging-houses. Under Part IX. of this Act it was provided that
the Council might, within six months from the passing of the Act, call upon the keepers of registered
common lodging-houses in the administrative county to make application for a licence upon
a form prescribed in the schedule. The Act received the Royal Assent on 31st July, 1902, and it
was decided by the Public Health Committee that notices to apply for a licence should be served
upon all the keepers of common lodging-houses on 1st January, 1903. The Act also provided for
the County Council to make by-laws for subject matter beyond that for which the Council possessed
powers under the Act of 1851. By-laws were accordingly made by the Council and confirmed
by the Local Government Board.
Seamen's Lodging-houses.
Under the provisions of section 214 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, the Council has
made by-laws for the regulation of houses accommodating seamen. These by-laws came into
force on the 1st October, 1901. The Act provides for the licensing of seamen's lodging-houses, but
inasmuch as it is optional on the part of the keeper to make application for a licence, no such
applications have been received. During the year 1902, 114 seamen's houses have been measured
and apportioned. In carrying out this work much difficulty has been experienced, as many of the
keepers are foreigners, having but a slight knowledge of English, and rarely reside in one place for
more than a short period. In many cases a house has been measured, and shortly afterwards
vacated, the keeper having taken premises elsewhere, either within or just outside the county.
At the end of the vear. however, there were 97 houses under regulation.

During the year 2,842 visits were made to these houses by the Council's inspectors, and in
a few instances notices were served for the remedy of dirty or defective conditions.
Customs and Inland Revenue Acts, 1890 and 1891.
Several of the annual reports of medical officers of health show the number of applications
received for certificates for exemption from inhabited house duty and the number of such certificates
which were granted. In Westminster certificates were granted in respect of the London
County Council's buildings in Millbank and Duke's-court, Drury-lane, and were refused for fifteen
tenements of a block of buildings in Peter-street, Berwick-street, in other ownership. In Hackney
32 applications relating to 387 tenements were made and granted after certain alterations had been
made in the buildings. In Shoreditch applications were received in respect of 33 tenements, and
all granted after certain works had been carried out in 25 tenements. In Bethnal-green two
applications were received in respect of 3 and 21 tenements respectively. In the case of the
three tenements only one water-closet was provided, and the premises were dirty ; in the
case of the 21 tenements the premises were so dirty that notices for the abatement of nuisances
were served. The applications were refused. In Southwark certificates were granted for a large
number of houses which are set out in the annual report. In Bermondsey certificates were granted
for 12 premises. In Lambeth 2,723 applications were received, 1,688 were granted unconditionally,
785 on condition certain improvements were effected, and 250 were refused. In Battersea
56 houses were inspected under the Act and certificates were granted in 28 and refused in a like
number of instances. In Wandsworth 93 certificates were granted relating to 480 houses. In the
case of 4 of the houses the certificate was refused as the houses were not let to more than one family.
In Greenwich a certificate for 51 dwellings was granted after requirements had been complied
with. In Lewisham a number of applications were received. In "Woolwich certificates were
refused in the case of a block of flats for the reason that the soil pipes were within the house and
there was no accommodation for a dust pail.
Underground Rooms.
The annual reports relating to the following districts show that the illegal occupation of
underground rooms was discontinued in the following number of cases—Paddington, 2 ; Kensington,
several; Chelsea, 10; Westminster, 13; Hampstead, 1; Islington, 48; Finsbury, 27;
Bethnal-green, 6; Stepney, 118 (also 2 basements closed); Battersea, 4; Greenwich, 6; Wool*
wich, 2. A table in the report for Lambeth, under the heading "sanitary work," shows that 90
underground rooms were occupied, and a tabular statement in the report of the medical officer of
health of St. Pancras shows that inquiry between November, 1901, and June, 1902, brought to
knowledge the illegal occupation of 1,077 underground rooms.