View report page

139
ness. Finally, the owners, resolving to act themselves, decided
(in September. 1902) to close and demolish the property at the
end of 1903. Part of the agreement was to maintain the property
in sufficient sanitary and habitable repair pending closure. I
have now to report that the owners have fulfilled their contract,
and this objectionable and insanitary cul de sac exists no longer.
It was altogether beyond repair, and its removal is a decided
sanitary improvement. Fifty-two persons were displaced, of
whom 29 found accommodation in the vicinity.
Area D is Easton Place, which opens to the South-west end
of Easton Street. The entrance is under two arches, passing
under Nos. 2 and 3 of Easton Place. The court in front of the
houses is about 90-100 feet long and 7 feet wide. The small
yard at the back of each house is about 3 feet by 11. In these
back yards stand the sanitary conveniences, but the dustbins
stand in the front court. There are nine houses, consisting in the
main of a ground floor of one room, and a first and second floor,
each of one room. The cubic capacity of the rooms is from
700-800 cubic feet. The back ventilation was very limited,
consisting only of a small window or skylight on each staircase.
The floors were unventilated, and the houses were worn out and
damp. In some instances the drainage of the houses was also
defective. The number of people resident in the court was
about 70.
I laid these facts before the owner and informed him that
unless he was prepared to carry out extensive repairs it would be
necessary to close the premises under Part II. of the Housing Act.
The owner selected to repair and the following works were carried
out:—
Drains taken up and relaid; ventilation under floors
provided; yards repaved; roofs and gutterings repaired;
sanitary dustbins provided; flooring and stair treads
repaired; sash cords to windows renewed; dampness of
walls remedied; walls and ceilings of houses cleansed,
repaired, papered and whitewashed.