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" Hettie," registered for man, wife, and two children ; was occupied by
man, wife, and four children, this last case being a sample case of overcrowding.
Without doubt there is a steady improvement going on in the condition of
canal boats. They are kept more cleanly, and the masters take more pride
in their vessels, and are more anxious to carry out the suggestions made to
them by the inspectors.
None of the Inspectors of the Port Sanitary Authority have ever experienced
the slightest difficulty in making inspections, but there is rather a desire on
the part of the masters to show their boats, and especially any defect therein,
as they feel that the Authority can obtain improvements in their condition
which they, unaided, are unable to.
One " monkey boat" only, during the year, was found to be unregistered,
and this came under the Act as soon as attention was called to it.
During the year 88 barges were registered for the first time by this
Authority. These are all wide boats, of the class known as dumb barges.
There is still some difficulty in getting the owners of these craft to
register, though I believe that this objection is gradually declining in force.
One owner was summoned for failing to register, and, upon hearing at
Dartford, the Bench dismissed the case on the ground of " there being no
evidence of habitation."
Evidence had been given that the men in charge had slept on board for
three consecutive nights. This has naturally not increased the desire of
owners to register.
The obvious course now open to your Worshipful Committee appears to
me to report this case and decision to the Local Government Board for their
consideration, and to try a similar case in each Police Court available for this
purpose, lengthening the time until some practical definition of habitation is
arrived at. At the present moment I have a case where a barge has been
slept in for 14 nights out of 16 during which she was visited, and I would
suggest that a summons be taken out against both owner and master.
The regulation which requires the change of master to be notified to the
Registration Authority has in no single case been complied with, although it
is known that changes have taken place.
In the class of vessels which are now being registered it does not appear
practicable to enforce such notification, which frequently would be a great
hardship to owners.