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to positive certainty." Such however is the feeling of oppression on entering
some of the courts and alleys in this District, that it does not require the
aid of chemical experiments to prove that the atmosphere within them is
uufit for the purpose of maintaining the health of the inhabitants.
It has been gravely stated that, before sanitary improvements can be
effectually carried out, the people must be so educated as to feel the necessity
of them; but as all public sanitary improvemements cost money, which
must be provided out of the local rates by the persons benefited, it will be a
long time before the necessity of carrying out sanitary improvements will be
acknowledged. The education of the people in sanitary science will only
be effected by showing them its beneficial results.
Indifference on the part of the Public to the Provisions of
the artizans and labourers dwellings act.
Although the Artizans and Labourers Dwellings Act has been in
operation since 1868, very few houses have been taken down under its
provisions.
I cannot account for this supineness on the part of the public (who
have the power in their own hands to commence action by writing to the
Medical Officer of Health, and informing him that certain houses, in their
opinion, are unfit for habitation) in not putting this Act in force.
Suggestion of a New Clause in the proposed Public
Health Bill.
The Nuisances' Removal Act does not enable either the Local Boards
or the Magistrates to compel the demolition of any house, or part of a house,
which may so obstruct the ventilation of a court as to render the locality
unhealthy. It is true, that the whole court, if not sufficiently ventilated,
may be ordered to be closed; but the closing of the court may be a very
great hardship on the owner, and especially so if he only hold a lease of
the property; for it may so happen that, by the taking down of one house,
the landlord can render all the adjoining houses fit for habitation; but if he
should do that without the consent of the freeholder, he may not only
vitiate his lease, but render himself liable to damages.
Almost every person, in speaking of the unhealthiness of towns, states
that such unhealthiness is chiefly caused by the defective sanitary condition
of the dwellings of the poor. In this opinion I fully concur. The
importance, therefore, of remedying this evil cannot be over-estimated.
A new Building Act, which shall prevent the erection of unhealthy
dwellings, has long been expected; but as there is no prospect of such an
Act being passed during this Session, power should be given in the Public
Health Bill, now before Parliament, to Local Boards, to make such byelaws
as will provide for the sanitary condition of all new buildings, whereby
the extension of unhealthy buildings may be prevented.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
15, Great Alie Street. JOHN LIDDLE.