Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-10-06 00:00:00

confirmed,

Mr. B.' HOLME then proceeded to ,move the confirma-
tion of the second recommendation. He explained
that the land contained 33 square yards ; and, as the
other Part of the land had been sold to the Corn Ex-
change; the committee were desirous,. that this remain-
ing bit should be made freehold. He was not aware
that there was any other matter in the proceedings of
the committee that required a word of explanation, and
he would therefore move the confirmation of the entire
proceedings.

Efraux sr.s.comied the motion,

which was

agreed to,

INSPECTION OF COMMON LODGING-HOUSES,

At the suggestion of the Town-clerk, the Council
then proceeded to a consideration of a joint report of
the Watch and Health Committees, as to the registra-
tion and inspection of common lodging-houses, post-
poned from the last meeting. This gave a full digest
of the law on the subject of lodging-houses, and then as
to the practice adopted in the registration and inspection
of lodging-houses, and concluded by suggesting what

- -
improvements can be made.
Your committee consider it desirable to discontinue the
practice of supervising lodging-houses, partly by police and
partly by sanitary inspectors, in conjunction with other work.
By this process the business cannot be so regularly attended
to, especially in detecting unregistered houses, as by appoint-
ing persons solely for the purpose, to be placed under one
head officer, capable of uniformly conducting the inspection
throuOxeut_the borough by night and_ by day, without
injury to other engagements. Your committee have eare-
fully inquired as to the, best mode of effecting an improved
system. They are of opinion that one committee of the
council should be entrusted with the entire duty, and that the
Health Committee is the proper one to undertake it. The
medical officer of health mast be consulted with respect to the
number of inmates to be allowed, ventilation, treatment of infec-
tious disease, and the like. The subject is of a sanitary character.
There is a feeling in the public mind adve:se to midnight domi-
ciliary visits by police officers; and notwithstanding the fact
that, when the sanitary. get passed, there was an efficient police
force in existence, the legislature expressly appointed the health
committee as the body to carry out the law regulating lodging-
houses. Your committee, therefore, recommend that the
health committee should be required wholly to take charge of
the matter, and that an efficient staff should be appointed for
the duty exclusively. The attention of your committee has
been directed to a variety of details connected with the ques-
tion ; but it appears to them that, if it be the pleasure of the
council to adopt the foregoing recommendations, it would be
preferable to set the new machinery in operation, and require
further information to be colected before proceeding to other
changes. With these views, your committee recommend that
the health committee should be asked to report to the
council,
as soon as
.practicable, whether any and what improvements
can be suggested in reference to the limitation of the number
of lodgers for every apartment, the separation of the sexes,
and similar points ; as also whether any means can be devised
for improving the condition of houses let in weekly apartments,
The following letter, in reference tcr the same sub-
ject, from Mr. Theodore W. Rathbone, was also read ;
To WILLIAM PRESTO', ESQ., MAYOR.
DEAR ME. MAYOR,—May I beg your attention to the enclosed
before the final settlement, on Wednesday, of one of the mast
momentous questions that have often come before the Council.
Your mayoralty has been eminently characterised by kind
and courteous attention to the upper classes; and I am sure
that itwould be very grateful to your feelings if the wretched
helpless condition of the lowest and most miserable was not over-
looked before its close, as it sadly will be, if influential members
of the Council do not come forward on this occasion. The report
really is altogether wrong, both as to its facts and its law—
the latter singfe/ardy as yott,-as a county magistrate; must no
doubt te well aware. If any of the Council have any doubt
On this point, only.let any of them look to the plain, umnis-
takealCZEOLds of the fm,:ts, either the general or local, or to the
construction put upon them by the highest authorities, the law
officers of the crown; the 'Justices of the Peace,' .vol. 17,
page 41; or Okes' Synopsis,' sth edition, page 269.—Yours
very faithfully,

THRODO'RE W. RATTIBONE.
" Allerton Priory, Liverpool, Oct. 3, 1859."
Mr. PiczoN asked the Town-clerk, whether there was
any dqubt that the law "was correctly stated in the report
read ?.=,

The TOWN-CLERX---I have no doubt about it, sir.
Mr. CLINT, in a lengthy speech, moved
of the report. This report, as the Council the adoption
of an order
take would re-
member, had been produced in consequence
of the Council that a conference shodplace be-
tween the Health and Watch Committees, with regard to
carrvinc, out the best mode of visiting common lodging_
houses. The report emanated from a joint committee of
members chosen from the two committees. It had re-
ceived the sanction of the Health and Watch Committees;
and, therefore, came before the Council stamped with
the approval of those committees. Liverpool, as stated
in the report, was the first town to obtain power to
control these lodging-houses, by an act in 1846. TI
he
Public Health Act did not deal with the question.
1851 the Lodging-house Act, well known as Lord Sh,af-
tesbury's Act, was passed. In 1847 there was passed an
act technically known as the Model Act, in which some
light was thrown upon the meaning of the term "common
lodging-houses," which were defined as houses in which
persons are harboured for a single night, or less than a
Week at a time. In 1854 the Council applied for autho-
rity to control all or any houses
werew_r_ so numerous as to be injuriousintowlileicallititih•eenalits
but
they
eY opposed, and defeated. In 1855, how' ever the
Nuisances Renimai
Committee
Act was passed,
-Health by which' the
.__ll?.ve power to enter any house with
a view to the rem
lieved he had goirae
,01Toef any nuisance. Now, he he-
r .?.e whole of the law.. The
next point was. the- out the provisions of those
laws. The Health ConrsA tte :had prepared bye-laws,
'and they had also
based upon the act oulue
presented

to the-Council -a report as to these lodging-houses on the
9th of March, 1859. With regard to .the construction
of the acts of parliament, lie undeistood that 'Mr.-!
Rushton narrowed the definition of common lodging-
houses tolieuseSlikingTOtigens for a single night,' and ,
who paid nightly: He was jealous of any extension of
the power of visitation; and he believed the prac -ice of
the magistrates had been very much the same. A good
deal had been said in regard to four streets mentioned
in a police memorandum, and these might be taken as
types of the very worst streets in the town. They were
Albert-street, Toxteth-park; Hodson-street, Mary.
bone ; and Chisenhale-street and St. Martin's-street,
Vauxhall-road. In those four streets there were 635
houses, of which 13 only appeared to have been re-
gistered. The report said that the population was
principally composed of dock labourers, fruit and fish
vendors, chip makers, and mendicants. The . houses
were filthy, and in some instances two families occupied
one room, and the sexes were mixed promiscuously.
Now the question was, wh'ether those' houses-came within
the category of common lodging-houses, or. whether
they were occupied by parties - holding- lodgings for a
week at a time, and therefore escape the operation of
the act. The practice in administering those laws had
been to vest the povier of visiting partly in the officers
of the Health Committee, in combination with their
other duties, and partly in police-inspectors, in combina-
tion with their ordinary duties of the police force. The
Health Committee officers, he believed, performed that
duty in the day- time, and it was left to the police-
inspectors to attend to it at night. It was quite right
not to give such a responsibility to- ordinary police-
officers, as the duty was one of the most delicate
character. Now, each inspector had a section of 15 or
20 men to visit ; about two-thirds of the whole police
force were in operation in the borough at night ; and
in case of fire or sudden emergency, the presence
of those inspectors might be wanted whilst they were
engaged in visiting the lodging-houses. He was re-
minded by Mr. Sheil that the inspector was taken from I
his beat for an hour, or an hour and a half, in visiting
thOse houses. The third part of the ;report was that
which relates to suggestions of improvement in the mode
of visiting those houses. Now, the sub-committee had
come unanimously to the conclusion that the present
system was an imperfect one. Between the officers of
the Health Committee and the police inspectors there
had been divided jurisdiction, and the machinery had
been very inefficient. The committee had, therefore,
come to a resolution that 'the duty should be vested in
an exclusive staff devoted to that purpose, and that the
carrying out of those-laws should be placed in the hands
of elle committee. The • committee thought that the
Health Committee should be the party to carry out this
„important busineas--that it should have a large,—,at all
events, a sufficient :staff ; and that, for the purpose of
visiting those houses by night and day, the staff should
be exclusively employed,upon that duty. (Hear.) The
report threw out suggestions for limiting the number of
lodgers in one apartment, and another was, the segre-
gation of the sexes,—for the present system was affect.:
ins not only the health, but the morals of the young.
In regard to what were called domiciliary visits, they
all knew how distasteful those visits were to English-
men; he considered his house as his castle ; and, while
it was necessary, therefore, to carry out those acts sous
not to make them shams, it was equally necessary that
a good deal of discretion and delicacy should be used in
such visits. (Hear, hear.) He was free to admit that
there had been a want of vigour in carrying out the act
—that those houses had not been rightly looked after ;
but, he would remind the council, that- the machinery
placed at the command of the Health Committee had
been very defective ; and, if they surveyed their labours'
for the last twelve•years, they should find that they had
had much to engage their attention. Mr. Clint here
glanced rapidly at the great sanatory. improvements
which had been effected; and, in conclusion, hoped that
the means of educational and moral advancement might
progress in the same ratioi—the schoolmaster following
upon the footsteps of the scavenger. (Applause.)
Mr. WOODRUFF seconded the motion.

Mr. EARLE said it appeared to him that all the com-
plication arose from the jealousy of the Health Com-
mittee in being interfered with in any way. However,
they had one fact, and that was, .that the row made by
Mr. Rathbone about the lodging-houses had been pro-
ductive of some good. Mr. Rathboue had not been an-
swered, simply because he was unanswerable. His
letter showed, that in London, the system which
he proposed was being carried out. He moved an
amendment to the effect, that the regulation and charge
of common lodging-houses lie with the police, with in-
structions that they be all in conformity with the act
before they be allowed to take in lodgers
The amendment was not seconded
Mr

Alderman PARKER rose to make a remark as to
the able speech deliyered by the Chairman of the
Committee, and he was sorry to see Mr. Earle differ
with him. The town of Liverpool was the best
managed, in a scientific point of view, of any in the
country. The movement for managing the bad condi-
tion of lodging-houses had not originated with Lord
Shaftesbury, but with the town of Liverpool itself; and
the Liverpool Sanitary Bill was taken up and made a
copy for the whole country. He would support Mr.
Clint.

Mr. Alderman S. HomaE said, when they first applied
to parliament for the power to improve the condition of
the habitations of the lower classes, he was one who
heartily joined in the movement, and he was an advocate
for it when the act of parliament was obtained. He
then thought -it • would • have been much better to
have plaeed the matter in the 'hands of the police; bat
he was now convinced, after the' report that had been
read, which he had paid a great deal of attention to,
that it should, not be taken out of the hands of
the Health Committee. At the same time, he felt
bound to say, in justification of Mr. Rathbone,
a gentleman well known for his philanthrophy, that
there was an amount of misery and wretchedness
still existing in the north end of the town, that was
beyond description. He himself had gone on a valuation
survey of the houses in Stockdale-street, in the
north end, and such was the state, of those buildings at
the top of that street, that it was utterly impossible for him
to remain in one of tlae court-houses formore than three or
four minutes, and he left absolutely vomiting. Mr. Clint
had admitted that the present system was most faulty,
and he had also admitted that these lodging-houses had
not been properly looked after.
Mr. CLINT—I beg your pardon ; I did not make
use of the word " faulty."
Mr. Alderman Hor.mr. said he had taken it down so ;
but he was speaking in justification of Mr. Rathbone.
He quite concurred in the remarks made by Mr. Clint,
in his very able speech.. The Health Committee had
succeeded in putting down many' prejudices ; and he
cheerfully admitted that they had done all that was in
their power to do. The'Council were now shown a way
to remedy the evil, a better •way than by placing the
'matter in the hands of the police, as that might have
been found faulty. ' If the Health Committee carried
out what they proposed to do, by appointing a
number of officers who would make themselves well
acquainted with the keepers of the lodging-houses, then
he believed that they should have made a step in the right
direction. He, therefore, having read the report with great
care, was prepared to hope that the Council would accept
and approve of the report that was prepared ; by so
doing, it would give them an opportunity of testing
whether the system would work well or not. He should
not hare the slightest objection to the report ; and he
was quite willing to Wait the result for twelve months,
as he believed many advantages would arise- from it.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. AVISON said it appeared to him, as a lawyer, that
Mr. Rathbone wished the Council to determine the
meaning of the act of parliament; but that was not the
duty of the Council, but of the magistrates. He
thought the magistrates did not give the Health Coin-
mittee the assistance which they should give them.
Mr. STITT said he had read Mr. Rathbone's letter,
odr
era
c) e
was
eas a nfotherayrinformationgentlemanst
atw tef
when
from
theinformation.m
eun c
whateveril
and he thought the Council wasp much indebted to him
ss
ohiHuoordu
lecgedhi.
nogp_ehdo
ut the
reAfutseththe
same time, he thought that due allowance had not been
made by Mr. Rathbone for the very great difficultieseen
that surrounded the Health Committee. He had gone
round with a number of police-officers, and he found it
was impossible for them to do their duty properly. • The
theory was, that the officers were to report to- the Health
Committee any Cases of nightly
was,
being unregistered, but they had a list of the houses
the
that were
.registered; and the consequence
Freaternumber of the houses had not been subjected to
iltSpection, as it required the time of the officers mitt-
sively to attend to those that they knew to be lodging-
houses. When a lodging-house was found unregistered,
the owner -said the lodgers were all weekly, and the
officers did not, nor could not know, except by
going every night, to see if they were the Bar
wties. Then, to say that fourteen inspectors could
o such a duty, laccount of lodging-houses,.
ceeded to give a statistical
was simply preposterous. He then pro..