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1925
13
been carried out thereunder. In fact, it is the only Section under
which the cleansing of walls and ceilings can be asked for, for the
reason that it is not necessary to prove that they are in such a
state as to be a nuisance, as is required under Section 91 of the
Public Health Act, but that " the premises are not in all respects
reasonably fit for human habitation." (For details as to the action
taken under these Acts, see tabular statement of work done by the
Sanitary Inspectors).
3. The principal difficulty found in getting the Council's
Notices complied with arises wherever many houses belonging
to the same owner are concerned. In such cases, the owner usually
contends that it is unreasonable to require him to expend so much
money at one time, and frequently he produces in support of his
contention a statement showing his net income from the property.
Often this income is but a very poor return on the property, and
therefore extra time has to be granted for the carrying out of the
work, or the less important items are not insisted on at the time,
although the owners are pressed with regard to these after a
reasonable period has elapsed.
In the inspection of houses from house-to-house, an endeavour
is made to avoid, as far as possible, inspecting all the houses belonging
to one owner at the same time, so as not to embarrass him
financially. It is found much more satisfactory in practice to
return .to the property after a short time, and deal with the houses
which did not come under our operations on the former inspection.
LEGISLATION IN FORCE.