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that he had not confined his attention to those houses to which his attention had been
directed by complainants, but that he had often on the occasion of visiting house thus
brought under his attention, inspected the neighbouring, premises, and the Sanitarv
Committee had, moreover, from time to time visited various localities.
The proceedings of the Vestry in reference to the faulty conditions found to exist in
Rotherhithe houses, have been practically limited to those which can be taken under
the powers conferred by the Nuisance Removal Acts and the Sanitary Acts.
The Vestry, in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by the 35th section of
the Sanitary Act, 1866, made regulations for houses let in lodgings. These regulations
were confirmed in the year 1867, a year after the Act was passed, but although some
half-dozen houses were registered, no further action was taken, and the regulations fell
into abeyance.
The regulations which can be made under this section may relate to the registration
of houses let in lodgings, or occupied by more than one family ; to the fixing the number
of persons who may occupy a house so let, to the inspection of such houses, and the
keeping the same in a cleanly and wholesome state ; to enforcing therein the provisions of
privy accommodation and other appliances and means of cleanliness in proportion to the
number of lodgers and occupiers, and the cleansing and ventilation of the common
passages and staircase; to the cleansing and limewhiting at stated times of such premises.
Under the Diseases Prevention Act of 1874, the regulations may extend to ventilation of
rooms, paving and drainage of premises, the separation of the sexes, and to notices and
precautions to be taken in case of any dangerously infectious or contagious disease.
The regulations made by the Vestry of Rotherhithe embrace all these subjects, and
would, if enforced, enable the authority to maintain the numerous houses thus occupied
in condition very different from that which characterises them at the present time.
One advantage which would attach to the application of regulations is the facility with
which the Vestry would be able to enforce their requirements, inasmuch as they would
be enabled to proceed at once for penalties for infringement of regulations, instead of
being compelled to adopt the more tedious process of serving notices under the Nuisance
Removal Acts.
Until recently the Vestry have only required a water supply for waterclosets in newly
built houses. The desirability of such supply in all houses is still not acknowledged by
them, and further, it has been claimed in this behalf that the local authority possess
discretion as to the requirements of water supply to waterclosets.
In regard to this contention, it may be said that the desirability of water supply to
waterclosets in newly built houses is not greater than in houses of older date. Concerning
the statutory duty of the local authority, the 81st section of the Metropolis Local
Management Act, 1855, specifies that if at any time, it appear to the Vestry or District
Board that if any house in their district, whether built before or after the commencement
of the Act, is without a sufficient watercloset or privy, or ash-pit, furnished with proper
doors and coverings and with other apparatus and works as aforesaid (i.e., furnished as
regards the watercloset with suitable water supply and water supply apparatus) the
Vestry or District Board shall, in case the same can be provided without disturbing any
building, give notice in writing to the owner or occupier of such house requiring him
forthwith or within such reasonable time as shall be specified in such notice, to provide a
sufficient watercloset or privy and ash-pit, so furnished as aforesaid.
We would submit that the discretion of the Vestry is limited in its exercise to
determining the question whether there is or is not "a sufficient watercloset with water
"supply and water supply apparatus for such house," and not whether a watercloset can
be held to be sufficient which is without water supply and water supply apparatus.
On the question of desirability of water being laid on to all waterclosets in Rotherhithe,
we entertain no doubt. No reliance can be placed on the willingness of the inhabitants
to carry water in pails from the house to the watercloset, and in Rotherhithe, where the
distance the water would have to be carried is often considerable, an expectation that