or other hard and suitable materials similarly Temporary bonded and put together, or of good cement Relaxation of Building concrete, or in the case of a building erected Byelaws before the 13th October 1919, and not subsequently Regulations. re-erected, upon wooden piles or other supports

of sufficient strength and in good condition. (2.) Each external wall or pier of the building shall rest on concrete or on some other solid and sufficient foundation.

(3.) Every wall or pier of the building shall be provided with a proper damp-proof course of asphalt, or slates laid in cement, or of some other durable material impervious to moisture, beneath the level of the lowest floor and of the lowest timbers, and at a height of not less than 6 inches above the surface of the ground adjoining the wall:

Provided that where application is made to a local authority for their consent to the use for human habitation of a building of a permanent nature existing at the time when the application is made and there are no signs of dampness in the walls and the soil is dry, the provision of a dampproof course shall not be required if the following conditions are satisfied, namely—

An impervious paving shall be provided outside the house at the ground level and adjoining all the external walls. This paving shall extend for a distance of at least 3 feet from the walls, and shall be continuous with a skirting of impervious material carried up on the exterior walls for a distance of at least 6 inches, and shall be sloped so as effectually to carry away all rain and waste water that may fall thereon from the walls of the house.

3. Every external wall of the building shall be constructed of good and suitable material and so as to be of sufficient stability and weather-proof.

4. The roof of the building shall be so constructed and supported as to be of sufficient stability and shall be covered externally with suitable fire-resisting and weatherproofing material;

Provided that it shall not be necessary to cover the roof with fire-resisting material if the following conditions are observed, namely-

Temporary Relaxation of Building Byelaws Regulations.

(a) The building shall not be of more than two storeys in height and shall not comprise or form part of a block of more than 4 separate dwellings under one roof.

(b) (1) The building shall be distant

(i) at least 10 feet from the boundary of its curtilage except at any point where its curtilage adjoins that of a dwellinghouse forming part of the same block; (ii) at least 20 feet from the nearest building, other than an out-building standing in the same curtilage or a dwellinghouse forming part of the same block;

(iii) at least 30 feet from the nearest public carriageway used or likely to be used for through traffic;

(iv) at least 60 feet from the nearest boundary of any railway on which steam engines are used.

(2) Every block of 4 dwelling-houses having a roof not covered with fire-resisting material shall be isolated by a distance of 60 feet from any other dwelling-house having a roof not covered with fire-resisting material.

(3) Every group of 4 dwelling-houses having roofs not covered with fire-resisting material shall be isolated by a distance of at least 60 feet, every group of 24 such dwellinghouses by a distance of at least 180 feet, and every group of 96 such dwelling-houses by a distance of at least 540 feet, from any other such dwelling-house.

any 4 dwelling-houses the buildings comprising which are so situated that there can be drawn, passing through all the buildings, a line on which the distance between one building and the next in succession is in every case less than 60 feet.

A "group of 24 dwelling-houses means 24 dwelling-houses the buildings

any

comprising which are SO situated that Temporary there can be drawn, passing through all Relaxation of Building the buildings, a line on which the distance Byelaws between one building and the next in succes- Regulations. sion is in every case less than 180 feet.

A "group of 96 dwelling-houses means

any
96 dwelling-houses the buildings
comprising which are so situated that
there can be drawn, passing through all the
buildings, a line on which the distance
between one building and the next in succes-
sion is in every case less than 540 feet.

(4) For the purposes of this proviso all distances
shall be measured horizontally to the nearest
part of the building, other than the eaves or
verge of the roof.

(c) Every chimney of the building shall be carried up
to a height of not less than 5 feet above the
ridge of the roof in brickwork or other solid
incombustible material, which, where the
chimney passes through the material forming
the roof, shall be not less than 9 inches thick
and rendered externally.

5. Where the building is intended to form two or more dwellings, the dwellings shall be separated by solid partitions of incombustible material not less than 3 inches thick, carried up to the under side of the roof-covering and resting throughout their entire length on solid continuous walls which as regards construction and damp-proof course shall comply with the provisions of paragraph 3 of this Schedule:

Provided that where any such partition is over an open passage between two dwellings it may rest on a sufficient arch or bressummer of fire-resisting material.

APPENDIX III

DOCUMENTS MAINLY RELATING TO IMPROVEMENT (PART I) AND RECONSTRUCTION (PART II) SCHEMES FOR UNHEALTHY AREAS

STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS, 1910, No. 919

HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES,

ENGLAND

UNHEALTHY HOUSES

The Housing (Inspection of District) Regulations, 1910, dated 2nd September 1910

55,578

To the several local authorities in England and Wales for the purposes of Part II of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890 ;—

And to all others whom it may concern.

Whereas by subsection (1) of section 17 of the Housing, Town Planning, &c., Act, 1909, it is enacted that it shall be the duty of every local authority within the meaning of Part II of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890 (hereinafter referred to as "the local authority ") to cause to be made from time to time inspection of their district, with a view to ascertain whether any dwellinghouse therein is in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation, and that for that purpose it shall be the duty of the local authority, and of every officer of the local authority, to comply with such regulations and to keep such records as may be prescribed by the Local Government Board.

Now therefore, we, the Local Government Board, in pursuance of the powers given to us in that behalf, by this order, prescribe the following regulations; that is to say

ARTICLE I-(1.) The local authority shall as early as practicable after the date of this order take into consider

ation the provisions of subsection (1) of section 17 of Inspection the Act of 1909, and shall determine the procedure to of District Regulations. be adopted under these regulations, to give effect to the requirements of that subsection in regard to the inspection of their district from time to time.

(2.) The local authority shall as part of their procedure make provision for a thorough inspection to be carried out from time to time according to the varying needs or circumstances of the dwelling-houses or localities in the district of the local authority.

(3.) The local authority shall cause to be prepared from time to time by the medical officer of health, or by an officer designated by them but acting under his direction and supervision, a list or lists of dwelling-houses the early inspection of which is, in the opinion of the medical officer of health, desirable. The list or lists may, if thought fit, relate to the dwelling-houses within a defined area of the district without specifying each house separately therein.

ARTICLE II- The inspection under and for the purposes of subsection (1) of section 17 of the Act of 1909 shall be made by the medical officer of health, or by an officer designated by the local authority but acting under his direction and supervision, and the officer making inspection of any dwelling-house shall examine the state of the dwelling-house in relation to the following matters, namely:

(1) The arrangements for preventing the contamination of the water supply.

(2) Closet accommodation.

(3) Drainage.

(4) The condition of the dwelling-house in regard to light, the free circulation of air, dampness, and cleanliness.

(5) The paving, drainage, and sanitary condition of any yard or out-houses belonging to or occupied with the dwelling-house.

(6) The arrangements for the deposit of refuse and ashes.

(7) The existence of any room which would in pursuance of subsection (7) of section 17 of the Act of 1909 be a dwelling-house so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation.