London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Kensington 1889

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]

This page requires JavaScript

124
are duly carried out, so that structural improvements necessary to
put the house into a good sanitary condition according to modern
requirements, may be effected; and afterwards the premises must
be periodically inspected, to see that the requirements of the
regulations as to cleanliness, and other matters, are observed. A
principal advantage resulting from registration is, that it is only
necessary to prove breach of any of the regulations to enable the
magistrates to inflict upon the offender whatever penalty they may
deem suitable—the maximum penalty being a sum ' not exceeding
forty shillings for any one offence, with an additional penalty not
exceeding twenty shillings for every day during which a default in
obeying the regulations may continue.'
" The mode of procedure for the abatement of nuisance
under the Nuisances Removal Acts is more elaborate, tedious, and
difficult. Notice of the nuisance must be given by the Inspector
to the nuisance authority, and such notice as the authority may
direct must then be served upon the person by whose act or
default the nuisance is caused. Time is necessarily allowed for
the abatement of the nuisance, no penalty attaching for default.
As a rule, the required work is done within the time limited by
the notice, but in the most expeditious cases from one to two or
three weeks may be occupied in getting the nuisance abated,
without any neglect or avoidable delay on the part of the nuisance
authority or their office]'. If the requirements of the authority
are not complied with, a summons must be taken out. This is
rarely made returnable in less than seven days. Should the case
be decided, at the hearing, without delay, all that the Justice can
do is to make an order for the execution of such works as, in his
opinion, may be necessary for the abatement of the nuisance, his
powers in this regard being ample. After the order has been
prepared and signed by the Justice, it must be served personally
upon the person on whom it is made. Ample time is always
allowed in the order for doing the work, and it is only after the
lapse of such time that, in cases of disobedience, liability to
penalties begins, the penalty being not more than ten shillings