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17
I regret to report that the Home Secretary has been interviewed
by the County Council of London in respect of these
Common Lodging-houses. The Government has been requested
to transfer the supervision of these houses from the police to the
Local Sanitary Authorities. I must at once declare that when the
class of house is taken into consideration, together with the persons
who lodge therein, my* experience compels me to assert that the
change proposed would not be a good one. At present the police
sergeant (who acts under his superintendent) admirably supervises
the arrangements for the health of the lodgers, and in matters
requiring their intervention, the Sanitary Authorities are called in
to co-operate. The regulations governing accommodation and
ventilation are well framed under the provision of the Lodginghouses
Acts, and I am sorry that all houses, where the comparatively
destitute are housed, have not the advantage of similar
supervision.
It has been my duty on account of a case of small-pox
occurring at each, to investigate the sanitary condition of two
large shelters provided by a philanthropic association for sleeping
the poorest persons. I will not here detail all that I have been
compelled to note concerning the places themselves, and the
sleeping accommodation provided; but I feel unable to answer the
question which arises in my mind, namely :—What good purpose
is here being served, which could not be better attained by the
police registered and supervised Common-lodging Houses ? Suffice
it to add, that I shall not fail in future to closely watch all similar
houses, and when the 94th section of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891, shall be in operation in the District, all such establishments
will probably be registered by your Board.
That proper and sufficient lodging should be supplied for the
nomadic labourer, to whom his lodging-house becomes his club,
must be apparent to all; I am only anxious that such persons shall
be surrounded by proper hygienic conditions. Last year I included
in my Report a list of admissions into the Union Infirmary upon
Medical Orders only, of persons lodging in the various shelters
within the District. To the number of houses then given, another
has been added.
I append the correct list:—