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suggested by the Board, were confirmed by the President in
January, 1885, and are now in force. Under these regulations
about 2,000 houses have been placed upon the register, and the
process of registration is still in progress.
The announcement of intention to register houses proved
distasteful to many" landlords," some of whom, complying with
your Vestry's invitation, "stated in writing reasons why the
house should not be registered;'' but almost without exception
the " reason " stated amounted to no more than an "objection"
to registration—based usually on a mistaken supposition that by
registration the "registered house" would become a" common
lodging-house," subject to police inspection, and be stigmatized in
a manner likely to diminish its letting value. It is hardly
necessary to say that these evils are purely imaginary. The
registeris a quasi-private document: no intimation of registration
is given excepting to the parties immediately interested; to wit
the "owner," the "keeper" (i.e., the occupier; but in the case
of a tenement-house the "owner" is ''keeper," also), and the
lodgers. So far from registration injuring property, I believe
it will come to be regarded as a guarantee that the house is in
good sanitary condition, when time shall have permitted the
carrying out of your Vestry's
Instructions for the guidance of the Sanitary
Inspectors in regard to the sanitary arrangements of registered
houses, which require them to see: —
1. That all cisterns are periodically cleansed and properly covered ;
2. That all waste-pipes from sinks, cisterns, baths, &c., be disconnected
and empty themselves over, or, preferably, near surface gratings, and
outside the house where practicable ;
3. That the drains under all such gratings be efficiently trapped ;
4. That the paving of yards be laid to a fall towards such gratings, with
the joints of such paving grouted or pointed in Portland cement or
other impervious material;