View report page

108
concern themselves with a multitude of small details
it would be impossible for any local authority to
enforce; the apportionment of duties between the
different persons concerned in lodging houses is
faulty and unworkable; the method by which it is
proposed to determine what houses let in lodgings
shall be placed under regulations, and what houses
let in lodgings shall not be thus dealt with,
is one that can only lead to injustice; the
requirements are in some cases tyrannical and
indecent; and, lastly, the means by which
the regulations shall be brought into operation
in respect of any house, and shall be maintained
in respect of any house (a matter of the greatest
practical difficulty), is not even touched on;
while, on the other hand, there are introduced a
number of practically useless enquiries which would
entail an enormous amount of wholly unremunerative
clerical labour.
I proceed to justify the charges I have just made.
I st. As to their diffuseness. I need only refer
to the unnecessary repetitions in Clauses 3, 4, 5,
and 6, all of which relate to the cubic feet of airspace
to be allowed to each lodger; and to the
numerous like repetitions in the many Clauses dealing
with cleanliness of rooms, closets, cisterns, &c.