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These new houses were built for sale, and were of a
type that could not be described as working-class houses.
It will thus be seen that my remarks on the subject of
overcrowding in last year's report still hold good. Indeed,
the fact that births in Camberwell in 1923 exceeded deaths
by 2,657 obviously makes the present position more difficult
than before.
I can only repeat that, in my opinion, the present
unsatisfactory state of affairs cannot be substantially
ameliorated until the overcrowding of London is dealt with
as a whole.
Notices were served in 27 cases of overcrowding, 15 of
which were abated by a re-arrangement of the sleeping
quarters. No legal proceedings were taken, for obvious
reasons.
Unhealthy Areas.—The five areas represented in 1922—
viz. : Woodland Cottages, Tiger Yard, Joiners' Arms Yard,
Mayhew's Buildings, and Levant Street (Island Site)—were
the subject of a Local Enquiry by the Ministry of Health
in the early part of the year, with the result "that all the
areas were condemned as unfit for habitation.
The form of the Order confirming the Council's Improvement
Scheme is still under discussion.
Housing Act, 1923.—The important section of the
Housing Act of 1923, from this Department's point of view,
is Section 10, which gives the owner the right of appeal to
the Minister of Health against any notice under Section 28
of the 1919 Act, or against any demand for the recovery of
expenses from him under that section, or an order made
by the Local Authority regarding such expenses. It is
provided that no appeal against a demand for expenses or
an order of the Local Authority shall lie if and so far as the
appeal raises any question that might have been raised on an
appeal against the notice.
Only three notices were served under Section 28 of the
Housing Act of 1919, and these were duly complied with
by the owners of the property concerned.
Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions Act, 1923.—
This Act prolonged the operation of, and amended, the Act
of 1920.
Certificates that certain premises were not in all respects
in a reasonable state of repair were issued in 19 cases.