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49
Common Lodging Houses.
27. There are 34 Common Lodging Houses in the Borough,
all being in Woolwich parish. These are under regulations
made and enforced by the County Council. They are frequently
inspected by the County Inspectors, and their cleanliness leaves
nothing to be desired. They are, however, to a great extent,
old, cramped, badly ventilated and lighted, and quite unsuitable
for healthy occupation; and it is not to be wondered at that
from them come a large proportion of cases of Phthisis. It
appears that having once been licensed, there is no power to
take away the license, failing breach of the regulations, and
hence the County Council is powerless to secure a radical
improvement of the conditions.
The County Council should have the power to grant or refuse
the license annually.
I represented certain insanitary conditions to the Medical
Officer of Health of the County, several of which were
remedied.
Underground Eooms.
28. Three cases of underground rooms separately occupied,
not in accordance with the Public Health Act, were met with.
In one such case the landlord went to considerable expense to
increase the height of the rooms by lowering the ground level,
made an area in front, and in all respects carried out the work
required to make the rooms conform with the statute. One
was closed, and the conditions improved in the third.
Many cases of underground rooms not separately occupied,
but used along with rooms not underground, either for living
or sleeping, were discovered, and sixteen not satisfactory as
regards light, ventilation, dryness, &c., were dealt with as
nuisances.