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27
Messrs. Gover, the owners of the houses, gave notice of appeal
to the Quarter Sessions, and the Vestry determined to defend their
Order. The Appeal came before the Court of Quarter Sessions at
Newington on the 13th January, 1899, when, after hearing evidence
on behalf of both parties, the Court decided that the premises were in
such a condition as to be dangerous or injurious to the health of the
surrounding population, and the public generally. They, however,
came to the conclusion that in Section 33, Part II. of the Housing of
the Working Classes Act, 1890, the word "dwelling-house" meant
an inhabited dwelling-house in accordance with the definition contained
in Section 29. The Court thereupon decided that as the Act was a
penal one, they must read it strictly, and that Section 33 must be
taken to refer to an inhabited house only, and as the houses referred
to were not then inhabited, but in a ruinous state, they accordingly
quashed the order.
The Chairman, however, expressed the willingness of the Court
to state a Case for the decision of the High Court on the point of law
thus raised, and the Vestry determined to adopt this course.
The case has been drafted by Mr. Corrie Grant on behalf of the
Vestry, and is now in the hands of Messrs. Gover's solicitors for
approval.
Addresses of
Outworkers.
The Yestry of St. Mary, Battersea, having suggested inter-communication
between Sanitary Authorities for the inter-change 'of
information relative to outworkers, the Vestry passed a
resolution concurring with the Authority in the proposal.
It was deemed, however, to be impracticable to put the suggestion
into practice, owing to the want of a complete list of streets in each
of the parishes throughout the Metropolis, showing the number of
houses in each respective parish. A resolution was therefore adopted,
directing a communication to be forwarded to the London County
Council, suggesting the advisability of the Council preparing a
complete list of the whole of the streets in the Metropolis, showing,
in respect of streets in more than one parish, the numbers of the
houses in each respective parish.
The question has been brought before the Council, but, up to the
present, they have been unable to see their way to have such a list
compiled.