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Ill
(III) Fitness of houses:—
(1) (a) General standard of housing in the district ?
ing that Hackney is now essentially a working-class
borough the standard may be considered, on the whole,
as very fair.
(b) General character of the defects found to exist in unfit
houses? Faulty eaves-gutters, leaky roofs, damp
walls, defective water-closets and drains, dirty and verminous
conditions, and general dilapidations.
(2) Action taken as regards unfit houses under (a) the Public
Health Acts, (b) the Housing Acts ?
(Note.—The detailed statistics as to action under the
Housing Acts will be given in the Appendices.)
(3) Difficulties in remedying unfitness, special measures taken,
and any suggestions in the matter? Scarcity and high
prices of both material and labour. Poverty of certain of the
owners of property. Suggestion—Removal of control and
freeing of materials. Governmental insistence on the right
of every free-born Briton, and especially of every ex-service
man, to work for whom he likes, at whatever work he likes, and
for what wages he likes, without let or hindrance by any third
party.
(i) Conditions, so far as they affect housing, as regards water
supply, closet accommodation, and refuse disposal, together
with measures taken during the year in these matters?
Water supply ample and satisfactory in quality. Waterclosets
usually adequate. Refuse disposal transferred from
Medical Officer's control to that of the Borough Engineer in
January, 1919. Work generally efficiently performed.
(IV.) Unhealthy areas:—
(1) Action taken as regards areas represented before the
beginning of the year under Part I. or Part II. of the