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112
The Water Supply of Tenement Houses.
The action taken in Hampstead during 1913 to improve the water
supply of tenement houses under the powers conferred upon London
Sanitary Authorities by Section 78 of the London County Council
(General Powers) Act, 1907, which empowers the sanitary authority to
require a proper and sufficient supply of water in each storey of a tenement
house that is separately occupied has resulted in the provision of
water taps and glazed earthenware sinks in 115 houses. Prior to the
passing of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907,
London Sanitary Authorities had no power to insist on the provision o
adequate water supply in tenement houses. This Act, however, has
been the means by which this great improvement has been effected.
The number of houses dealt with in Hampstead during the last four
years is as follows:—
1908 24
1909 85
1910 99
1911 105
1912 152
1913 115
580
Rag Flock Act, 1911.
Under the provisions of the above Act, 11 samples were taken
during the year, and of these, 9 were found not to conform to the
standard of cleanliness laid down by the Local Government Board in
the Regulations issued by them on 8th June, 1912. The administration
of this Act appears to be beset with difficulties. In the first place its
provisions should be made to apply to flock of every description, but its
scope has unfortunately been very much narrowed by a judgment in the
Divisional Court in the case of Gamble v. Jordan, 1913, when it was
held that the re-making or re-stuffing of furniture or upholstery with
rag flock was not prohibited so long as the Hock comprised only that
which had been taken out of the article in question. This practically
renders the Act inoperative in regard to jobbing upholsterers, a large
proportion of whose business consists of re-making, and of course it is