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SANITARY POWERS OF THE COMMISSION. 27
to you is so unconditional (where once the necessity
for your interference is shown) that your Honourable
Court can now exert your authority for every
legitimate object, in respect of all the poorer houses
in the City. The definition is, that " the expression
common lodging-house shall, for the purposes of this
Act, mean any house not being a licensed victualling-house
let, or any part of which is let, at a daily
or weekly rent not exceeding the rate of three
shillings and sixpence per week; or in which
persons are harboured or lodged for hire for a
single night, or for less than a week at one time;
or in which any room let for hire is occupied by
more than one family at one time." And your
powers are to the following effect:—"Wherever
overcrowding has taken place, unwholesomely or
indecently,—wherever undue illness has prevailed,
—wherever from any one of several causes the
house is unfit for occupation, you can require its
immediate registration; you can then make such
rules as you think fit for the maintenance of
decency and health; and you can enforce conformity
to those regulations, with appropriate
penalties.
The terms of the clause throw on your Medical
Officer the responsibility of initiating these proceedings
; and his task in the matter will be one of
anxiety and arduousness. In most other clauses
of your Acts of Parliament, an alternative is allowed
as to your taking the opinion " of the Officer of