44 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



in the cases here noted, do they provide any constructive schemes 

 such as are in force in England and Germany for the exclusion of 

 city and town limits. 



The Medical Officer of Health is authorized to inspect lands and 

 buildings with the object of preventing the accumulation of filth, 

 dirt, and rubbish, and has power to adopt the necessary measures 

 for the removal of the same. 



Upon complaint of the existence of a nuisance, either to the 

 Medical Officer of Health or to the local Board of Health, it is gen- 

 erally the law that an investigation shall be made by either of the 

 above or by the mayor or reeve; and if a nuisance is found to exist, 

 its removal or abatement is ordered. If default occurs, then the 

 nuisance may be removed by the local authorities, in which case the 

 costs become a charge upon the persons whose act caused the nuisance. 



In some cases, the provincial act empowers the Health Officers 

 or any two of them to enter into or upon any premises in the day 

 time as often as they think necessary. In such cases, the act pro- 

 vides that the members of a local Board of Health are health officers. 



It is quite clear the public health acts, in so far as they refer to 

 nuisances, take cognizance of the conditions which tend to create 

 slums, for this clause, or a similar one, frequently occurs: "That 

 where the nuisance arises from want of defective construction of any 

 structural conveniences," etc. 



In addition to the foregoing health provisions, common to most 

 of the provinces, the following clauses call for special notice as being 

 particularly applicable to slum conditions: 



SEC. 43. If the nuisance or unhealthy condition 

 arises from some defect in the conformation or construc- 

 tion of the land or building or if the same is unoccupied, the notice 

 prescribed by section 42 shall be given to the proprietor. 



British ^ EC - ^6- No person shall let, or occupy, or suffer to 



Columbia be occupied, as a dwelling or lodging, any room which 



(a) Does not contain at all times at least three hundred 



and eighty-four cubic feet of air space for each 

 person occupying the same; or 



(b) Has not a window made to open in the manner ap- 



proved by the Local Board; or 



(c) Has not appurtenant to it the use of water-closet or 



earth-closet constructed in accordance with these 



regulations. 



And every room in which a person passes the night, or is found 

 between midnight and five o'clock in the forenoon, shall be deemed to 

 be occupied as a dwelling or lodging within the meaning of this rule. 



