View report page

13
Houses Closed under the Nuisances' Removal Act.
The four houses in Avenue Place, Spitalfields, which, at the commencement
of this year, were ordered by the Magistrate at the Worship Street
Police Court to be closed in consequence of their being unfit for habitation,
are still unoccupied; and as it is not possible, owing to the limited space on
which they stand, to render them fit for that purpose, they must either
remain closed or they must be demolished.
Houses demolished under the Artizans and Labourers Dwellings Act.
The six houses in Black Horse Court, Spitalfields, which were brought
under the notice of the Board in March last, in accordance with the Artizans
and Labourers Dwellings Act, as being unfit for habitation, have been
demolished.
Improvements effected in Property inhabited by the Poor.
Improvements in the sanitary condition of several houses in unhealthy
localities have been made by their owners without the direct interference of
the Board, but simply on the recommendation of the Medical Officer of
Health. Of these localities I may particularly mention two, viz., Miller's
Court, Dorset Street, and Garden Court, Mile End New Town. The former,
viz., Miller's Court, owing to its confined situation, can never be so altered as to
meet my views as regards sanitary arrangements. It has, nevertheless, had
such alterations made therein as greatly to improve the ventilation. This
has been effected by the taking down of a part of one of the houses, and
building on the vacant space three privies and a dust bin, which were
formerly so placed as to he nuisances. Air bricks have likewise been inserted
in the outer walls. The latter, viz., Garden Place, in which there were
fourteen houses, but now only thirteen, one at the farther end of tho Court
having been taken down to afford a space for the erection of three privies
and a dust bin. These conveniences were formerly situated in front of the
houses, and within a few feet of the front windows, and they were a perpetual
nuisance to the inhabitants of those houses. All the rooms had their
ventilation improved by the insertion of air bricks in the back walls ; the
Court was repaved, and a new water-waste preventer erected. The result of
these improvements has been that the Court is more healthy, and a better
class of tenants occupy the houses.
As there is a great deal of property in the Metropolis occupied by the
poor which might reasonably be condemned as being unfit for habitation, it
is a question well worthy the attention of the several Boards of Guardians
whether out-door relief should be given to persons living in such unhealthy
places, as the money received from the Guardians is applied for the payment
of the rent.
A small yard belonging to one of the houses in Old Montague Street,
Whitechapel, in which were the dust-bin, privy, and water receptacle, was
found, on a visit made by the Inspector, to be covered over by a roof, and