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87
Housing Acts by the purchase and removal of buildings
which obstructed light and air to other buildings, and that
the Borough Council might have purchased and cleared
small portions of the area as being unhealthy areas, too
small for inclusion in a scheme under Part I. of the
Act of 1890.
Mr. Bernard Holland, in the course of his evidence
on behalf of the County Council, stated that he did not
challenge the accuracy of the official representation. In
support of the views expressed by the London County
Council that effective housing legislation was imminent,
Mr. Holland referred to statements which have from time
to time been made by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, and other persons; he also made
reference to the proposal of the London County Council
to seek statutory powers enabling the County Council to
enter into agreement with the Metropolitan Borough
Councils for the purpose of exercising collateral powers
in respect of Part II. of the Housing of the Working
Classes Act, 1890, and sections 17-21 of the Housing,
Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909.
Dr. Butler submitted statistical information relating
to the area and, generally, confirmed the accuracy of the
representation which had been made by Dr. Bate, the
Medical Officer of Health.
On behalf of the Borough Council, Dr. Bate gave
evidence in support of his representation, and dealt fully
with the steps which the Council and its predecessor,
the late Vestry, had taken to deal with the area in
question, and, as evidence of the futility of dealing with
separate houses, he proved that several houses in the
Brady Street area had been closed under the provision of
the Housing Acts and re-opened after repair without any
improvement being made in the narrowness of the street