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49
Shelter Provided under Sec. 60 (4) of the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891.
Number of persons accommodated during the year
9 adults 5 children
Revenue Acts.
Number of houses for which applications were received 16
Number of tenements comprised therein 102
Number of tenements for which certi- (a) granted 69
ficates were (b)refused 33
(c) deferred —
NUISANCES.
The increased activity of the Public Health Department
cannot perhaps be better illustrated than by the figures relative
to the receipt of complaints and the service of statutory notices.
During 1908 there were 1,768 complaints received as compared
with 1,165 in 1907 an increase of 603. During 1908 there were
280 statutory notices served, as compared with 231 in 1907, an
increase of 49. In addition, there were 21 notices served on
owners to provide proper and sufficient water supply to the upper
storeys of tenement houses under the Act which came into force
on 1st January, 1908. In the large majority of cases the grounds
of complaint were removed without anything further than the
issue of the preliminary intimation. No fewer than 1,488
complaints succumbed to this simple preliminary measure, plus
perhaps a reminder by the inspector in the course of a visit, or a
letter from the Department. In 17 cases, however, the requisite
work was not executed even after the issue of a statutory notice
followed by what is known as a "final notice" warning the
responsible person that legal proceedings would be entered upon
unless the notice received immediate compliance. In several of
these cases when the summons came on for hearing, it was found
that the work had been completed, and all that was asked for
in such cases was that the costs to which the department had
been put should be paid.
A closing order was obtained in one instance owing to the
existence of a seriously defective drain.
In only two cases was it necessary to press the proceedings
to the infliction of a fine. The nature of the offences and of the
proceedings is set out in the following statement:—