View report page

69
During the year 1,298 day visits were made to these houses by the Council's inspectors, and in
four instances notices were served for the remedying of dirty or defective conditions.
Proceedings before the magistrate were instituted in three instances; the fines amounting to
£6 13s., with costs amounting to £4 14s.
The number of cases of notifiable infectious disease reported in seamen's lodging houses was as
follows:—Smallpox, 10; total, 10.
Customs and Inland Revenue Acts, 1890 and 1891.
The Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1890, Section 26, provides that the assessment to
inhabited house duty of any house originally built or adapted by additions or alterations, and used
for the sole purpose of providing separate dwellings for persons at rents not exceeding for
each dwelling the rate of seven shillings and sixpence per week, and occupied only by persons
paying such rents, shall be discharged by the commissioners, provided that a certificate of
the medical officer of health for the district in which the house is situate shall be produced to them to
the effect that the house is so constructed as to afford suitable accommodation for such of the families
or persons inhabiting it, and that due provision is made for their sanitary requirements. The medical
officer of health of a district, on request by the person who would be liable to pay the house duty on any
house in the district, if the duty were not discharged a3 aforesaid, shall examine the house for the purpose
of a3certaining whether such a certificate can be properly given, and if the house be constructed so as to
afford such accommodation and due provision be made as aforesaid, shall certify the same accordingly.
The Revenue Act, 1903, Section 11, provides that—
(1) Where a house, so far as it is used as a dwelling house, is used for the sole purpose
of providing separate dwellings—
(a) The value of any dwelling in the house which is of an annual value below
£20 shall be excluded from the annual value of the house for the purposes of inhabited
house duty; and
(b) The rate of inhabited house duty in respect of any dwelling in the house of
an annual value of £20 but not exceeding £40 shall be reduced to three pence; and
(c) The rate of inhabited house duty in respect of any dwelling in the house of an
annual value exceeding £40 but not exceeding £60 shall be reduced to sixpence.
(2) The provisions of this section as respects dwellings of an annual \alue not
exceeding £40 shall not take effect with regard to any such dwelling, unless such a
certificate as to accommodation and sanitary condition is produced to the general commissioners
as defined by Section 5 of The Taxes Management Act, 1880, as is mentioned in
sub-section (2) of section 26 of the Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1890, and the provisions
of that subsection as to the certicfiate shall apply for the purpose.
The question of defining the minimum requirements which should be made by medical officers
of health in London in this connection was considered by the Metropolitan Branch of the Incorporated
Society of Medical Officers of Health and it was decided on the 27th January, 1905, to recommend the
adoption of the following:—
(1) That a definite minimum height for living and sleeping rooms is provided, as
defined by the London Building Act, 1894, together with a definite minimum area (superficial)
of 96 ft. for each of such rooms.
(2) That a fireplace and chimney flue are provided for each living and sleeping-room.
(3) That every living or sleeping room is sufficiently lighted by daylight and properly
ventilated.
(4) That each dwelling is so arranged as to be through-ventilated.
(5) That each dwelling is provided with a properly ventilated food cupboard (or
recess), or larder, properly protected against flies and effluvia; and also a proper range or
stove for cooking purposes.
(6) That there is a proper and sufficient supply of water available on each floor.
(7) That there is, at least, one w.c. properly supplied with water for every twelve
occupants (or less), on each floor, each w.c. being disconnected aerially from any dwelling
in the interior of the building.
(8) That on each floor a sufficient space or open lobby is provided, accessible to, and
for the use of, the families on each floor, for the deposit of refuse, etc.
(9) That every common staircase is permanently ventilated at each floor level, or
by through-ventilation so as to break the common air connection.
(10) That corridors, or lobbies within the building, whether external or internal
to the dwellings, are all properly ventilated and sufficiently lighted as far as practicable.
(11) That every internal court, open at the top and surrounded on all sides and
situated wholly, or in part, within the building, is ventilated by a permanent opening,
or openings, to the external air at the lower end, such opening, or openings, being of an
area at least equal to one-twentieth the internal area of the court.
(12) That the drainage of the premises is in accordance with the regulations and
by-laws recognised by the authority within whose jurisdiction the premises are situated.
(13) That accommodation for clothes washing is provided, sufficient for the number
of persons inhabiting the house.
6108]
K