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62
HOUSEBOATS.
There are, in the Port Sanitary district, some 330 floating dwellings; termed
Houseboats, for lack of a better name. Some of these are large, well constructed
and thoroughly sanitary, but many consist of small boats on which a roughly
constructed deck house has been erected.
The numbers of the latter type have increased so rapidly in recent years that
the Port Sanitary Authority sought powers to exercise more control over them.
During the year the City of London (Various Powers) Act received the
Boyal Assent. Clauses 6 and 7 of this Act are as follows:—
6.—(1) Subject to the provisions of the section of this Act of which the marginal note is "For protection
of Port Authority," the Corporation may from time to time make bye-laws with regard to houseboats as
defined by sub-section (2) of this section for all or any of the following purposes (namely):—
(a) for requiring the registration of houseboats and the issue of certificates by the Corporation
of such registration upon such conditions as may be specified in the bye-laws; for prescribing
the charges (not exceeding ten shillings for each certificate) to be paid in respect of certificates
of registration and the period for which and the conditions upon which any such certificate
shall remain in force; and for prohibiting the use of houseboats which are required to be
registered unless the same be so registered : Provided that no houseboat shall be registered
which does not comply with the bye-laws made under paragraph (f) of this sub-section;
(b) for regulating the making of applications for the registration of houseboats and the procedure
with regard thereto;
(c) for requiring notice to be given to the Corporation of the transfer or sale or change of tenancy
of registered houseboats;
(d) for prohibiting the mooring of houseboats except at places specified in the bye-laws and for
prescribing the maximum number in any situation. Provided that no bye-law under this
paragraph affecting the Port of London shall be submitted for confirmation until it has been
approved by the Port Authority and nothing in any bye-law under this paragraph shall be
deemed to permit the mooring of any houseboat in a position contrary to any bye-law of any
local authority or contrary to any direction of any harbour-master under section 267 (Power
of harbour-masters) of the Port of London (Consolidation) Act 1920 or to make lawful the
mooring of any houseboat in any place in which but for such bye-law the mooring of such
houseboat would be unlawful;
(e) for prescribing the maximum number of occupants of any houseboat in relation to the cubic
air-space of the living and sleeping rooms therein;
(/) for requiring the provision in houseboats of adequate means for the admission of daylight and of
permanent ventilation and the provision of such sanitary conveniences and appliances as the
bye-laws may require;
(g) for promoting cleanliness in and the habitable condition of houseboats;
(h) for preventing the spread of infectious disease by the persons inhabiting houseboats;
(i) generally for the prevention of nuisances in connection with houseboats; and
(j) for authorising the inspection of registered houseboats by or on behalf of the Corporation.
(2) In this section the expression "houseboat" means any vessel or boat lying in any river or water or
on any foreshore within the district of the Port of London Sanitary Authority which is used or is capable of
being used as a place of habitation whether such use be temporary intermittent or permanent or as a place
for accommodating or receiving persons for purposes of shelter recreation entertainment or refreshment or
as club premises or as offices but shall not include—
(i) a vessel normally engaged in the transport of persons or goods; or
(ii) any craft or boat which is required to be registered by the Port Authority under the Port of
London Acts 1920 to 1932; or
(iii) any lightship or watch barge; or
(iv) any canal boat or other boat registered under the Canal Boats Acts 1877 and 1884.
(3) Any such bye-laws to be made by the Corporation under this section shall be made in accordance
with the provisions with respect to bye-laws contained in the Public Health (London) Act 1891.
(4) Nothing in this section shall extend to take away lessen prejudice alter or affect any of the estates
rights powers interests privileges franchises or authority of the Port Authority.
(5) As from the date when bye-laws under paragraphs (g) (h) and (i) of sub-section (1) of this section
come into operation so much of the London Port Sanitary Authority (Additional Powers) Order 1923 as
applies sub-section (2) of Section 95 of the Public Health (London) Act 1891 shall be annulled and such
annulment shall be deemed to be a repeal of an enactment for the purposes of the Interpretation Act 1889.
For protection
of Port
Authority.
7.—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act the power of making bye-laws for the purposes
referred to in paragraphs (a) (b) and (c) of sub-section (1) of the section of this Act of which the marginal note
is "Bye-laws with regard to houseboats "shall in relation to so much of the district of the Port of London
Sanitary Authority as is within the Port of London be exercised by the Port Authority in lieu of the
Corporation and for that purpose sub-section (1) (a) (b) and (c) of the said section shall be read and have
effect as if the Port Authority were referred to therein in lieu of the Corporation.