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owners are slow to register without being absolutely compelled to do so,
there are but few canal boats now unregistered within the Port of London.
During the year 36 boats have been registered with the Port Sanitary
Authority, three of these being re-registrations on account of change of
ownership.
At the present moment 181 boats are on our register, and with one exception
these are all "wide" boats.
If it be considered advisable by the Local Government Board to press the
registration of wide craft so as to include all those which are only irregularly
used as dwellings, then it will be absolutely necessary to so amend the Acts
as to give some more definite meaning to the words "used as a dwelling."
The Port Sanitary Authority have expended a great amount of time, labour,
and expense without being able to get any real decision on the point, and it
can hardly be wondered at that owners knowing this fact should take advantage
of the uncertainty to evade compliance with the provisions of the law.
No notification of change of master has been made, though it is known
that this constantly occurs. The name of the master is not mentioned on
the official certificate of registration, and it seems unreasonable to look upon
this change as a violation of the Act.
In many instances it would be utterly impossible for owners to carry on
their business if the notification were insisted upon.
No case of infectious disease has been met with during the year in the Port,
nor have any been reported by the Authorities.
One prosecution only has been undertaken.
On 4th February the master of the barge "Dee" was summoned at the
West Ham Police Court for indecent occupation. There were living on the
boat, in the same eabin, the master, his wife, and a lad of 17. He was fined
20s. and 7s. costs, a sufficiently heavy fine when the loss of time and
expenses of travelling are taken into consideration. In four other cases one
child too many was carried, but a communication to the owners proved
sufficient to at once remedy this.
I would very strongly urge upon Registration Authorities the advisability
of putting every possible obstacle in the way of registering fore-cabins
especially to allow of carrying females on board, who, without such forecabins,
would be excluded.
They are always low, damp, and ill-ventilated, and, in addition, on a river
like the Thames, exposed to great danger. I am, moreover, of opinion that
in the majority of cases they are simply registered to evade the law, and are
not used for the purpose of sleeping.