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68
order of the Vestry, but the expenses paid by an insurance
society.
89. Registration of houses let to two or more families.—At
the commencement of the year there were 18 houses on the
register. I recommended during the year the registration of
14 additional houses. Notices were served on the landlords of
most of these houses, but owing either to objections received,
improved conditions as to cleanliness and overcrowding, or
reduction to occupation by only one tenant, there were finally
only four of them registered leaving 22 houses on the Register,
December 31st.
These houses were all inspected several times during the
year, and any breaches of the Bye-laws found were remedied.
Two tenants were warned that proceedings would be taken on
a recurrence of the offence, but no summonses were actually
issued.
As to the comparative uselessness of the Bye-laws, as at
present drafted, I must refer to what was said in my last report.
90.—Overcrowding.—61 cases of overcrowding were found
and remedied by the Sanitary Inspectors. In the three preceding
years, 38, 90, and 72 cases were found respectively.
It will be seen in my report on the Princes Road district that I
found 25 cases of overcrowding among the 153 houses I inspected
house to house. Presuming that overcrowding exists
in the rest of the parish in the same proportion, and that each
case affects only one person, there are over 1,500 persons in
Plumstead for whom further sleeping accommodation is required.
The standard taken is 300 c.ft. per head for sleeping accommodation,
but this standard is a very low one.
Out of the 2,705 houses inspected house to house 68, or 2½
per cent., were found in which there were two or more persons
to a room.