Lodging Houses, Common

Lodging houses, common. The term is defined in the (English) Public Health Act, 1936, s. 235, as 'meaning a house (other than a public assistance institution), provided for the purpose of accommodating by night poor persons, not being members of the same family, who resort thereto and are allowed to occupy one common room for the purpose of sleeping or eating, and include, where part only of a house is so used, the part so used.' As to the test of sleeping and having meals in a common room, see the judgment of Cozens-Hardy, L.J., in this case, and Longdon v. Broadbent, (1877) 37 LT 434. As to this use by persons of the poorer classes, see also L.C.C. v. Hankins, (1914) 1 KB 490. The Public Health Act, 1875, ss. 76 et seq., provided for their might be kept only by registered keepers. These provisions were amplified and rendered more stringent by Part V. of the (English) Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1907 (7 Edw. 7, c. 53). Both these enactments are repealed and replaced by Part IX. Of the (English) Public health Act, 1936, coming into operation on the 1st October, 1937.