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104 .
Housing.
The survey of the Borough, in connection with the quinquennial
statement of the housing needs of the Borough in accordance with
the requirements of section 31 (3) of the Housing Act, 1930, was
continued during 1931. The result of this survey was submitted
in the form of a report to the Housing Committee in the early part
of 1932 and is at present under consideration.
Considerable progress was made during the year with the
building of the St. John's College Estate, one block, containing 39
tenements, being well in hand at the end of the year and was being
pressed vigorously forward. It is anticipated that the second
block (50 tenements) will be ready for occupation by the autumn
of 1932.
Apart from the Plough Road Improvement Extension Scheme
(vide p. 107) no new workmen's dwellings were completed during
1931.
Eleven houses were erected by private enterprise during the
year as under:—
Nightingale Lane 3
Thurleigh Avenue 8
11
The lease of Swaffield House, in the Borough of Wandsworth,
which was converted into 12 tenements in 1921, expired on the
25th March, 1931. Arrangements were made for the tenants to be
re-housed and the premises were given up in October.
Overcrowding.
As pointed out in previous Annual Reports, and. subsequently
confirmed by the results of the 1931 Census, there is no overcrowding
in the Borough as a whole.
There is, however, serious local overcrowding in certain parts
of the Borough, and it is to be regretted that there has been no
very material decrease in this unhappy state of affairs, although
in some instances it has been possible to mitigate the evil through
the County Council.
The main difficulty, which has repeatedly been referred to in
previous Annual Reports, is that whilst there has been considerable
increase in the number of houses built by local authorities very little
attempt has been made to provide for that element of the population
which is unable to pay the rents demanded for the new houses.
The Ministry of Health in a circular addressed to Local Authorities,
drew attention to this important matter, and it is to be hoped
that some effort will be made to meet what, in my opinion, is a most