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46
The present Bye-laws were adopted by the Vestry, September
3rd, 1895, and approved by the Local Government Board,
October 29th following, but when put into operation were found
to be inefficient in two particulars; first, by reason of the rent
limit which is 3s. per week, and which prevents houses it is
desirable to register being so dealt with, while it embraces others
with which it is not necessary to interfere, for example, an aged
person occupying a single room at 2s. 6d. per week renders the
house liable to be registered, while the same sized room occupied
by a family at 3s. per week is not registerable.
The second defect arises from the fact that before proceeding
to deal with any premises under the Bye-laws a resolution of the
Vestry is required to the effect that it is necessary to do so, but
the Vestry naturally decline to pass such resolution until they
are furnished with the facts in each case, and which the officers
have no authority to obtain. The subject of the alteration of
these Bye-laws was last considered by your Committee, November
10th, 1896, when it was resolved to recommend the Vestry to
make alterations in the direction referred to, but the Vestry
declined to endorse the Committee's recommendation and the
Bye-laws have since remained inoperative.
In connection with this subject permit me to refer to a recent
Report of the Public Health Committee of the London County
Council, who, in urging the necessity of Bye-laws being made and
put into operation in districts where the matter had hitherto been
neglected, conclude their Report to the Council in the following
terms
"In view of the fact that the statutory requirement that the
Bye-laws relating to houses let in lodgings should be
enforced is still so much neglected in many districts in
London, we think the Council should make a complaint,
to the Local Government Board. The Sanitary
Authority with regard to which we think that course
should in the first instance be taken is Bethnal Green,
as that Authority does not seem to have attempted to
take any action with regard to houses let in lodgings.
We will, if necessary, make recommendations with
regard to other districts later."
With respect to an increase in the Sanitary Staff, a suggestion
in this direction is frequently met with the observation that
twelve years ago or so one officer was sufficient to meet all
requirements of the district, and without endorsing this view