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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 have power
to deal with large unhealthy areas under Lord Cross's Acts
(Artizans1 and Labourers' Dwellings Improvement 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 of the population -rehoused); this being irrespective
of the outlay on model dwellings erected on the cleared
sites by such bodies as the Peabody Trustees.
The Board, after taking necessary steps for giving effect to
eight additional Schemes, stayed proceedings under the Acts on
account of the enormous cost to the ratepayers of the Metropolis
involved in carrying tliem into effect, t It has been alleged that a
* Bills for consolidating and amending these Acts, brought in by Mr.
Ritchie, were read a second time, June 24th, while this report was passing
through the press.
f The County Council will probably deal with two of these schemes. With
respect to the others, they appear to have intimated to the sanitary authorities
of the several districts, comprising the insanitary areas, that, in their opinion,
the said areas can be dealt with under Torrens's Acts.