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93
I.—General Housing Conditions in the District.
(1) General Housing conditions.—The urgency of the Housing
problem has not diminished during 1920. Some signs were noticeable
that the eagerness to purchase good class houses were abating, but the
conditions as regards the poorer classes of the population remain the
same. No new working class dwellings were erected during the year;
and therefore I am of opinion that the figures for 1919 as regards
overcrowding still pertain. Assuming that all persons living more
than two in a room are overcrowded, then at least 6000 persons or 2000
families are living in overcrowding conditions. I know of no working
class houses to let in the Borough; the lettingiof houses has ceased,
and if one falls vacant it is put up to sale, and sells readily.
The density of the population is exemplified by the following
figures, compiled from a group of streets usually described as the
Netherwood Street Area. It is typical of what exists in all our
working-class districts.
Name of Street.
No. of
occupied
premises.
Population.
Total
population
at all ages.
Average
No. of
persons
per house.
Adults.
Children
under 10.
M.
F.
Netherwood Street 71 302 400 285 987 14
Palmerston Road 63 303 388 234 925 14
Kelson Street 21 96 122 82 300 14
Linstead Street 17 73 71 24 168 10
Totals 172 774 981 625 2380 14
Area of above Streets, 10 acres or 238 persons per acre.
Area of Kilburn Ward, 195 acres or 64 ditto.
Area of Borough, 2265 acres or 32 ditto.
(2) (a) Extent of Shortage or Excess of Houses. — Of the cases of
overcrowding, most are dealt with by re-arrangements of the inhabitants
in their rooms; but some cannot be so dealt with; and in one case
it was necessary to take the tenant before the Magistrates for an Order
to abate the overcrowding. In this case the man and his wife and 8
children were living in one room with a cubic capacity of 930 feetenough
for the man and wife only. The Magistrate adjourned tht