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is the London County Council, which has already shown its
interest in the question by appointing a Housing of the Working
Classes Committee, whose first report (dated March 12th)
intimated that they had "caused an abstract of the Acts relating
to the Housing of the Working Classes to be made, with a
statement as to the extent to which the powers have hitherto
been exercised by the Metropolitan Board of Works aud other
local authorities." Mr. Ritchie stated that Lord Shaftesbury's
Acts enable the Council to "hire, purchase, erect, furnish,
manage, and let houses as lodgings for the working classes."
The Council, he added, would also have power to carry out the
Artizans' Dwellings Acts, 1868 to 1885 (Torrens's Acts), which
deal with small unhealthy areas—e.g., courts and alleys—with
single houses, and with "obstructive buildings," which may be
demolished. The Metropolitan Board, it may be added, had this
power, but never exercised it. The Acts are complicated. By
consolidation and amendment their operation might be made
more speedy and more effectual. As regards single houses, the
power conferred upon the Justices by the Nuisances Removal
Act to close a house unfit for human habitation, until specified
works of reparation shall have been carried out, would probably
suffice for sanitary purposes, especially if reinforced by a provision
corresponding to section 96 of the Public Health Act,
1875, which enables the Justices to inflict a substantial penalty
on the person responsible for the creation of a nuisance. The
Council will have power to deal with large unhealthy areas
under Lord Cross's Acts {Artizans' and Labourers' Dwellings Improvements
Acts, 1875 to 1888), to which the Metropolitan Board
some years since gave extensive effect, having carried through
22 "Schemes," whereby 59 acres of land were acquired and
cleared, on which accommodation has been provided for
38,231 persons of the working classes. The amount expended
by the Board in giving effect to the Acts exceeded a million
and a half sterling (or about £40 per head) ; this being
irrespective of the outlay on Model Dwellings erected on the
cleared sites by such bodies as the Peabody Trustees.