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premises are required to be purchased, the owner should not have
the option of retaining the site; that the term " obstructive
building" should be defined; and that some other mode of appeal
should be provided than to the High Court ... If clauses
to the above effect were to be introduced by Her Majesty's
Government this Session, in an amending Act,' the Committee
believed that ' much good result would accrue to London.' The
action of the Committee had a good result, Mr. Ritchie, Mr.
Matthews, and Mr. Long having introduced an amending Bill
(' Housing of the Working Classes (Amendment) ' which gives
effect to some of their suggestions. Part I. of the Bill (Artizans'
Dwellings Acts) is to be construed as one with the Acts, 1868
to 1885, proposed to be consolidated, and to be known in future
as the 'Dwellings Act,' 1868, 1879, &c. The Medical Officer
of Health is to report to the local authority any premises, as
defined by the Dwellings Act of 1868, which appear to him to be
in a state so injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation.
The local authority is to take proceedings with a view to
closing such premises, by obtaining a 'closing order' (sec. 2).
The local authority may pass a resolution that it is expedient to
order the demolition of the building, and take all necessary steps
to that end, if the closing order should not be determined by a
subsequent order, and should the premises not have been rendered
fit for habitation (sec. 3). Provision is made for the demolition
of an ' obstructive building,' that is to say, ' a building so situate
that by reason of its proximity to or contact with other buildings,
it (among other things) prevents proper measures from being
carried into effect for remedying the evils complained of in respect
of such other buildings;' and doubts having arisen as to the
meaning of the words ' evils complained of,' such ' evils ' are
declared to ' include a nuisance which is inj urious to health'
(sec. 4). The fifth section deals with ' Scheme for Reconstruction
' on area comprising houses closed by closing order. Special
provisions as to London are contained in sec. 6. The Vestry are
required to report their proceeding (e.g., report of the Medical
Officer respecting unhealthy premises, or obstructive building;