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In addition, 840 premises were visited on complaint, 316 without
complaint, and 347 after infectious diseases. In these, the
inspection was generally made into some specific condition which
existed, or alleged to exist, and a full detailed inspection was not
in all instances carried out.
In the 594 houses subjected to house-to-house inspection there
were 992 tenements; so that a large majority of the houses
inspected were let out into two or mora tenements. These, of
course, do not include the houses let in lodgings registered under
the bye-laws. At the end of the year 62 houses let in lodgings
were on the register. A large number of the latter are let out in
single-room tenements, and this class of house seems to be on
the increase. At the present time, single-room tenements are
practically limited to Junction Road, the southern portion of
Shaftesbury Road, and ihe western end of Packington Road.
There are isolated instances in other parts of the district, but in
the latter single-room tenements are the exception, and the rooms
are let out unfurnished to widows and occasionally to spinsters.
But in the above 3 streets the houses are let out furnished to
families, mostly in single rooms, occasionally in 2-roomed tenements.
The rent paid varies from 2s. 6d. to 6s. per room per
week, the average being about 5s. to 5s. 6d. The furniture is
usually of the most meagre and primitive character, and the bedclothes
are frequently in a filthy condition. There is no power to
insist upon clean linen, though we can insist upon clean walls and
ceilings. The occupiers of these one-roomed tenements have as
low a standard of personal cleanliness as can well be imagined,
though the condition of the premises depends largely on the
landlord, more so than even on the occupier. The occupiers are
undoubtedly poor, but in many instances the poverty is not due
to a low wage-earning capacity. In many instances the occupiers
earn a higher wage than those who live in 3 and 4 room tenements
and than some who live in self-contained cottages.
It is only by constant inspection that these premises are kept
in a sanitary condition. A recent inspection revealed the fact that
a large number of the rooms were overcrowded, though the