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room could and would be provided for the Coroner's use in that
building not having been realized, your Vestry fitted up a
room, in January, at the Town Hall, where in the year ended
31st December, 1888, 66 inquests were held out of a total of 139.
The bulk of the remaining 73 inquests were held at public-houses;
so that the object your Vestry had in view in providing the
accommodation has been but partially realized. When inquests
are held at public houses the post-mortem examination of the
body is necessarily made in the house where death took place,
at which too commonly proper accommodation is totally wanting.
Communications have recently passed between the Coroner and
your Vestry with regard to the use of the Court, and of the Mortuary,
which it is hoped may issue in a more adequate use of
those valuable institutions.
REGULATIONS FOR HOUSES LET IN
LODGINGS.
The Sanitary Act, 1866 (sec. 35), enables the Nuisance
Authority, with the consent of a Secretary of State, to make
Regulations " for houses, or parts of houses, let in lodgings or
occupied by members of more than one family." The Authority
may by its regulations fix the number of persons who may
occupy a house. They may register the house, and inspect it to
see that it is kept in a cleanly and wholesome condition. They
may enforce the provision of privy accommodation, water
supply, etc., and provide for the cleansing and ventilation of
the common passages and staircases, and for the cleansing and
lime-whiting of the premises at stated times. In all but a very
few districts in the Metropolis this useful enactment was ignored
for years. In 1874, further powers were conferred under the Sanitary
Law Amendment Act, enabling regulations, framed under
the first-named Act,to extend to ventilation of rooms, paving and
drainage of premises, separation of the sexes, and notices to be
given? and precautions to be taken in case of any dangerously