(4) To induce the Housing Committee to supplement the work of the speculative builder, by putting up cottages on cheap suburban land, which would serve as a standard of quality and rental for the private builder, thus "toning-up" the general supply of house accommodation, and contributing greatly to the welfare of the respectable artizan class, who are at present helpless in the grip of the landlord.

(5) To call public attention to the general rise in rents which has ensued upon the cheapening of conveyance by the municipalisation of the tramway service, and to advocate municipal ownership of land and house property as the only means of preventing this appropriation by individuals of the financial benefit of all municipal improvements.

(6) To support the demand for the taxation of land values, coupled with power to take land compulsorily at the owner's own tax assessment. In this way only can lands be acquired at equitable prices. To support all other legislative projects having for their aim the extension of facilities for municipal enterprise, the cheapening of loans, etc.

(7) To advocate all measures tending to the beautification of the city-wider streets; the planting of trees; more open spaces; the control of mural advertisements; municipal encouragement of householders and shopkeepers in respect of cleanliness and beauty of frontages; compulsion of owners to keep waste lots in good order, so that same shall not become an eye-sore; and every other scheme which would help to make Liverpool a better place to live in.

(8) To continue our efforts for the removal of the slums and the erection of cheap tenements in their stead; to oppose the compensation of owners of houses unfit for habitation; to recommend the building of municipal lodging houses and family homes; to agitate until there is a comfortable sanitary home for every family no matter how small their means.

The summary of sanitary laws and byelaws, and the text of the Housing Acts contained in the following pages, and in the Appendix, will be found very useful in this connection. If full use is made of the index to this volume, it will not be difficult to discover hundreds of ways in which more or less effective remedies can be applied in dealing with insanitary conditions. It will be well, however, to mention the following specific statutory powers given to the various individuals, for so little are they used that it would almost seem as if the general public were unaware of their existence :

(1) Any person-

(a) May complain in writing to the local authority and secure action being taken for removing insanitary conditions in or near any house, whether due to filthy tenants, structural defects, or overcrowding [sec. 93, P.H. Act, 1875, p. 77, App.]; NOTE.-Complaints made anonymously must also be attended to by the local

authority.

(b) May complain in writing to any justice of the peace to the same effect [sec. 105, P.H Act, 1875, p. 79, App.];

(c) May lay an information against any councillor who votes upon any housing scheme relating to property in which he is beneficially interested [sec. 88, H.W.C. Act, 1890, p. 33, App.]; (d) May appear at a Local Government Board inquiry on any housing or improvement scheme, and object to any part of the scheme [sec. 17, H.W.C. Act, 1890, p. 8, App.];

(e) Take on lease from the local authority, with their consent, any land acquired by the council, either by agreement or compulsion, for building workmen's dwellings [sec. 2, H.W.C. Act, 1900, p. 56, App.];

(f) Borrow, from the Public Works Loans Commissioners, half the money required to carry out a house-building scheme for workmen [sec. 67, H W.C. Act, 1890, p. 28, App.]

(2) Any householder may, in addition to the foregoing-(a) With three other ratepayers, complain in writing of any unhealthy dwelling house [sec. 31, H.W.C. Act, 1890, p. 13, App.] or obstructive building [sec. 38 (2) H.W.C. Act, 1890, p. 16, App.], and compel the medical officer of health to report thereon to the council. If the local authority do not take action on a condemnatory report, an appeal can be made to the Local Government Board;

(b) With eleven other ratepayers, demand in writing an official report from the medical officer of health on an unhealthy area, and may appeal to the Local Government Board, if it is not condemned [sec. 5 (2), sec. 16 (1), H.W.C. Act, 1890, pp. 2 and 7, App.]

(3) Any working-class occupier—

(a) If living in a house under a certain low rateable value, may hold his landlord responsible if the house is not in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation [sec. 75, H.W.C. Act, 1890, p. 31, App.];

(b) If forced to move from a house which is to be demolished by the local authority, may ask for reasonable expenses of removal [sec. 78, H.W.C. Act. 1890, p. 32, App.];

(c) After seven days' written notice, may compel a local authority to remove house refuse, etc., or in default thereof be liable to a penalty [sec. 43, P.H. Act, 1875, p. 74, App.];

(d) May borrow from the county council, or any town or district council that has adopted the Small Dwellings Acquisition. Act, 1899, the greater part of the purchase money of the house in which such occupier resides or intends to reside [sec. 1, S.D. Act, 1899, p. 63, App.]

(4) An owner of property

(a) May arrange with the local authority for carrying out a scheme under Part I, secs. 12 (2) and (3), H.W.C. Act, 1890, p. 6, App.];

(b) If possessed of the first estate of freehold in any slum property, may arrange with the local authority for carrying out an improvement scheme relating thereto [sec. 12 (6) H.W.C. Act, 1890, p. 7, App.];

(c) If an owner under the Settled Land Act, may sell the land for housing purposes at less than its market value [sec. 74, H.W.C. Act, 1890, p. 31, App.]

(5) Two medical men may give a certificate requiring the local authority to compel the owner or occupier to cleanse an unhealthy house [sec. 46, P.H. Act, 1875, p. 75, App.]

(6) A parish councillor may—

(a) Propose a resolution at the parish council asking for the rural district council, or in default the county council, to build

dwellings for the working classes [sec. 6, H.W.C. Act, 1900, p. 56, App.];

(b) Propose that the parish council should deal with any pond, pool, open ditch, drain, or piace containing or used for the collection of any drainage, filth, stagnant water or matter likely to be prejudicial to health [sec. 8 (1) (f), Local Government Act, 1894];

(c) Propose that the county council shall be called upon to take action where the district council have failed to properly administer the Public Health Acts, or to supply sufficient sewers, or to secure a sufficient and wholesome water supply; (d) Represent that an obstructive building ought to be demolished under sec. 32, H.W.C. Act, 1890, p. 13, App. [sec. 6 (2) Local Government Act, 1894];

(e) Propose that the district council may be asked to delegate useful Public Health Act powers to the parish council.

(7) A County Councillor may

(a) Propose the appointment of a county medical officer of health to supervise all districts and take action if the district councils are in default [sec. 45 (3) H.W.C. Act, 1890, p. 22, App]

() Propose that steps be taken to make necessary official representations under Part II, H.W.C. Act, 1890, [sec. 52, p. 25. App.]

() Propose that facilities be given to put into operation the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act, 1899 [sec. 9, p. 66, App.]

A District or Town Councillor, in addition to securing the the proper carrying out of ordinary sanitary administration, should propose the adoption of—

(a) Part III of the Housing Act, 1890 [sec. 54, p. 25, App.]

(b) Part III of the Public Health Act (Amendment) Act, 1890, [p. 85, App.]

(c) Byelaws under secs. 44, 80, 157, and 276, P.H. Act, 1875, and sec. 23 (3), P.H. Act Amendment Act, 1890, [pp. 74, 76, 80, 85, and 86, App.]

(d) A house-to-house inspection of the district [pp. 13 and 78, App.]

POWERS OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

The powers of local authorities with respect to the Housing of the Working Classes are contained in—

(1) The Public Health Act, 1875 (sanitary clauses), together with the amending or corresponding measures, the Public Health Act (Amendment) Act, 1890, the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and the Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897 ; and Byelaws made under the provisions of the same.

(2) The Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, with amending Acts of 1893, 1894, 1896, and 1900.

(3) The Small Dwellings Acquisition Act, 1899.

(4) The Municipal Corporations Act, 1882 [sec. 111], and the Working Classes Dwellings Act, 1890.

(5) The Labourers (Ireland) Acts, 1885-1893.

A summary of the principal provisions of these Acts is contained in this section, but a fuller digest of some, and the full text of the important ones is given in the Appendix.

The abbreviation, P.H.A., 1875, is used for the Public Health Act, 1875, and, except where another Act is named, the number of any section given in this chapter refers to the aforesaid Act.

CHAPTER III.

THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACTS.

Dealing first with the Sanitary Acts, the Public Health Act, 1875, is taken for quotation because it is the one that applies to all town councils and district councils in England and Wales, and so far as the principal powers are concerned is in substance the same as the London and Scotland Acts of 1891 and 1897 respectively.

Under this Act and the corresponding Acts, provision is made for dealing with existing dwelling houses singly in respect of their insanitary

condition, and also for securing proper regulations by byelaws and otherwise with regard to the erection of new buildings and the proper construction and maintenance of streets and other approaches thereto.

Officers. As proper officers are essential to the carrying out of these matters, every sanitary authority must appoint "fit and proper persons" to be medical officer of health and inspector of nuisances. Rural authorities may appoint several if necessary. Sanitary authorities in London must appoint an "adequate number." In the latter case candidates must be properly qualified, and the Local Government Board may order the appointment of an additional number if necessary. [P.H. Act, 1875, sec. 189 and 190 ; P.H. (London) Act, 1891, sec. 107].

Assistants to each office may be appointed, but they cannot perform the special statutory duties.

It is important to note that the Local Government Board provide for the payment from the Exchequer Contribution Account of half the salary of the medical officer of health and the sanitary inspector where the appointment has been made in accordance with their regulations. In the provinces 1,615 medical officers and 1,569 inspectors of nuisances have been so appointed, and in London 44 medical officers and 235 sanitary inspectors, up to 31st March, 1900. Appointments made in this way tend to give greater security of tenure to the officers concerned, and thus to make them less subject to coercive influences on the part of corrupt interests on local councils.

Surveyors and building inspectors are generally entrusted with the supervision of new streets and buildings.

Duty of Sanitary Inspector.-The General Orders of the Local Government Board 1891, with regard to the sanitary inspector's duties, provide that

"He shall, by inspection of the district, both systematically at certain periods and at intervals as occasion may require, keep himself informed in respect of the nuisances existing therein that require abatement.'

"On receiving notice of the existence of any nuisance within the district, or of the breach of any byelaws or regulations made by the sanitary authority for the suppression of nuisances, he shall, as early as practicable, visit the spot and enquire into such alleged nuisance or breach of byelaws or regulations."

"He shall enter from day to day in a book, to be provided by the sanitary authority, particulars of his inspections and of the action taken by him in the execution of his duties."

"He shall keep a book or books, to be provided by the sanitary authority, so arranged as to form, as far as possible, a continuous record of the sanitary condition of each of the premises in respect of which action has been taken."

BYELAWS.

One of the first duties of every council is to adopt the various byelaws, which may be made under the Public Health Acts, 1875.

A summary of what are commonly called the "Building Byelaws" is contained in the Appendix, p. 86.