[Report 1913] / Medical Officer of Health, Chatham Borough.

  • Chatham (Kent, England). Borough Council.
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1913] / Medical Officer of Health, Chatham Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/66 (page 19)
    Regular visits are made to courts, alleys, and passages with a view to securing their cleanliness and freedom from decaying matter. vSections 21 and 27, Public Health Amenelment Act, 1890, give the necessary powers foT this purpose. In theory the obligation lies on the occupiers, but in the case of ('ommon (xxaipation it is seldom carried out. I have l)efore expressed the opinion that, in the interests of the public health, the most satisfactory method would be for the Sanitary Authority to undertake the duty. The paving of yards, etc., is being gradually carried out in accordance with the provisions of Section 41 of the Public Health Amendment A('t, 1890. I trust that the gradual demolition of low ('lass i)roperty will lead to a decrease in the number of courts and alleys. HOPSTXG. The powers ]30ssessed i)y Tocal Authorities in regard to this subject are of a very extensive character, and if they are taken full advantage of they will, in a few' years, bring about a great alteration in the dw’ellings and surroundings amongst wfiic'h the [)oorer classes of the population live. The Acts dealing wdth housing ('onditions are the Housing of the Working Classes Acts of i88p 1890, 1894, 1900, 190^ and the H ousing and Town-Planning Act, 1909. The latter Act amends many of the provisions of the previous Acts ; it simplifies procedure, and it iiK'reases largely the powers of Tocal Authorities, wdiilst it also provides for the making of Towm- Planning Sc'liemes, and extends the powers and duties of County Councils in regard to housing. The two chief se('tions of the last-named Act are Sections 15 and 17, the former restricted tO' houses of a certain rental and oi'cupa- tion, the other applying to any house. By the one owners can lie c(jmpelled to keep their property in a reasonably habitable condition ; by the other, intended for more extreme cases. Closing Orders may be issued, and at the expiration of a definite period, if a house is not rendered fit for human habitation, its demolition will follow. The aliove sections are applii'able to single houses, but in the t'ase of insanitary areas the usual [irocedure is for the Mech'cal Officer of Health to make a representation under Part T. of the 1890 Act (Section 4). Part III. of this Act giving Local Authorities jiower to erect new^ houses or to alter and reconstruct old formerly adoptive is now generally applicable. It will lie seen from the above brief outline that housing w'ork may be classified under four heads : — I. The maintenance in a sanitary condition of existing dwellings.