View report page

150
ON THE SANITARY CONDITION OF
"Housing of the Working Classes Act."
With reference to the Insanitary Area which I represented
to the London County Council under this Act in November, 1894,
I had hoped to have been able to report that before the end of
1896 the work of re-modelling the Area bad already begun. An
enquiry was held by a Commissioner, (Mr. H. T. Steward),
appointed by the Home Office for the purpose of ascertaining the
correctness of my representation, and the sufficiency of the
scheme of the County Council for the improvement of the Area.
The enquiry was held iu the Board-room here, on the 5th, 6th,
11th, 12th, 20th and 21st days of March. I was present at the
enquiry and gave evidence during three days and part of a fourth,
in support of my " official representation." Mr. S. A. Lovett,
Medical Officer of Health for St. Giles' District, and Dr. George
Newman were in attendance to corroborate my evidence, but were
not called. Evidence was also given by the Valuer, Architect,
and other officers of the Council, by Dr. Bremner, Poor Law
Medical Officer, the School Attendance Officer, &c. Although
those interested on the Area were largely represented, the opposition
appeared to be mainly directed to securing the extra compensation
for property which is allowed, if the Home Secretary
colours it blue instead of red, on the map which accompanies the
Provisional Order.
The Council proposed to re-house only some 500 upon the
site, but it was shown that a greater number of persons were
actually employed in the immediate vicinity. A deputation from
your Health Committee subsequently had an interview with the
Housing Committee of the Council on the subject, with the result
that the whole of that part of the Area marked "A," will be
reserved for workmen's dwellings.
Since presenting this Report to your Board, the Home
Secretary has issued the Provisional Order set out below in which
he affirms the correctness of my " representation," and with some
modifications as to re-housing and widening of streets as required
by your Board, confirms the scheme of the County Council. Your
Surveyor has prepared the accompanying plan which shows the
Area (coloured in the same way as in the Plan 27c mentioned in