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83
Under the Regulations issued by the Local Government
Board under Section 17 of the Housing and Town Planning
Act, Mr. King was designated as the officer to make inspections
in accordance with the Act, under the supervision of the
Medical Officer of Health. A list of houses requiring inspection
has been submitted to and approved by the Council.
During 1911, 90 houses were so inspected, and in 1912,
15 x, but it is evident that considerably more attention will
have to be devoted to this work if the Act is to be complied
with in any real sense. The Local Government Board, in
their letter to the Council of 30th December, 1912, also draws
attention to the small number inspected to the number
requiring examination.
Now that the last census declares Ilford to have a population
of more than 50,000, brings a much larger proportion
of houses under Section 15. Previous to the last census this
Section only applied to houses let under £16 a year in this
district, but now it will apply to all houses under £26 a year;
so that for all these houses which have been let since the
passing of the Act, there will be implied a condition that
"the house is at the commencement of the holding in all
respects reasonably fit for human habitation." Also under
Section 15, the condition stated above shall "during the
holding be kept by the landlord in all respects reasonably fit
for human habitation," so that with every succeeding year
it appears that this Section will have an increasing effect,
and therefore require more attention. A large proportion of
the houses inspected during 1912 belong to one landlord, or
nominally so, and a great deal of time and trouble has been
expended in getting the defects remedied. If the defects are
of a grave character, it is comparatively easy under the
statutory powers to get these remedied, but when the matters
requiring attention are smaller in character, it necessitates
some trouble and perseverance to have them put right.
When, for instance, the only cooking stove in the living room
is broken, and either cannot be used at all or only by filling