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Public Health Act, 1875 (38 and 39 Vict., cap. 55) which does
not apply to the Metropolis. But although the provisions of that
section are practically identical with the provisions of section 35
of the Sanitary Act, 1866, and section 47 of the Sanitary Law
Amendment Act, 1874, it was felt that the model bye-laws were
not suitable for the circumstances of the Metropolis, and your
Vestry took no further action in the matter.
At the close of 1883, the Local Government Board, by notice
published in the London Gazette, declared the enactments of the
Acts to be in force in all parts of the Metropolis, and issued a
circular letter, together with " Suggestions for Regulations," 39
in number, for the guidance of the Vestries and District Boards.
The Board's communication, which had been anticipated by your
Vestry's above-mentioned resolution, adopted in the previous
month, was referred to the Works, Sanitary, and General
Purposes Committee, with a view to the framing of regulations.
Much time was devoted to the subject; and ultimately, on January
7, 1885, your Vestry unanimously adopted regulations which were
confirmed, on the 21st January, by the Local Government Board.
The first regulation, dealing with " Registration " of houses—
it had been drafted by the Local Government Board—was soon
found to give rise to difficulty, inasmuch as it did not allow of
a house being registered until the " landlord" should have
" attended, personally or by his agent duly authorised in that
behalf, at the office of the Vestry," to "furnish and sign a true
statement" of particulars with respect to the house proposed to
be registered, viz. :—
(a) The total number of rooms in the house ;
(b) The total number of rooms let in lodgings or occupied
by members of more than one family ;
(c) The manner of use of each room ;
(d) The number, age, and sex, of the occupants of each
room used for sleeping.
Many landlords paid no attention to the " notice signed by
the clerk to the Vestry," requiring them "to supply the information
necessary for registration," a requirement for which there is.