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SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS
It was necessary on four occasions only to make application to the
Courts for Abatement Orders. In two of these cases as the nuisance
was abated before the date of the hearing, it was not necessary to ask
for an Order. In the other two cases the Orders were granted. Costs
were allowed in two cases.
HOUSING
Inspection of Houses
One of the chief duties of a sanitary inspector is the investigation
of complaints, including those relating to housing conditions. Most of
these refer to defects such as of roofs, gutters or windows, faults affecting
drainage whether defective sinks, water closets, drains or the choking of
drains, and defective yard paving. Most of the defective conditions
giving rise to complaints are remedied on drawing the attention of the
owners to the conditions; in a few, formal action under the Public Health
Acts is required. The remedy in such instances, if the nuisance continues
after the service of a statutory notice, is application to the Court for an
order that the work shall be done.
In ordinary circumstances then, when an inspector visits a house,
especially if it is because of some complaint, he has to consider whether
action should be taken under the relevant provisions of the Public Health
or of the Housing Act. He therefore makes a thorough inspection of
the house, determines what work is required to put the house in a habitable
condition, and if the estimated cost is not out of all proportion to the
value of the house, the Committee's approval is sought to the serving of
the necessary notice. The advantage of proceeding by way of the Housing
Act is that more can be called for than under the nuisance sections of
the Public Health Acts, while in default of the owner undertaking the
repair the authority can execute the work and recover from the owner.
Sanitary authorities have been given increasingly greater powers
to obtain satisfactory housing conditions since the time when any
premises in such a state as to be a nuisance or injurious to health were
made statutory nuisances under the Public Health Act of 1875. By the
Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1885, sanitary authorities had to
secure the proper sanitary condition of all premises within their districts.
In 1890, it became the duty of the Medical Officer of Health to report
to his authority any dwelling-house that appeared to be in a state so
dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation.
Local authorities under the Housing and Town Planning Act, 1909, were
required to see that inspections were made in their districts of houses so
dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation.