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116
HOUSING.
GENERAL.
In the earlier part of this section of my report I
have commented generally on the character of the
housing in the Borough. The full picture can only
be seen when the figures from the last census are
brought into it. These revealed the fact that Bethnal
Green was the third worst borough in London with
regard to congestion of population, having 142 persons
per acre and an average of 1.35 persons per room.
The latter average masks the true extent of the evil
of overcrowding, which is represented in one way as
the proportion of the population living more than 2
per room, namely 23.6 per cent., but might be more
justifiably calculated on the basis proposed in the new
Housing Bill when the percentage would be found to
be 33% or more. Overcrowding to this gross extent
in well-built, light, airy, modern houses, with every
domestic convenience would be thoroughly bad, but
overcrowding in Bethnal Green frequently takes place
in old, gloomy, airless, inconvenient houses and
tenement buildings, themselves crowded together, so
that one evil is added to another. One may therefore
be excused some measure of impatience with the
difficulties and delays which seem to stand in the way
of improving this deplorable situation.
INSANITARY AREAS:
Slum Clearance and Improvement Schemes.
Some progress has been made during 1934 by the
plan of co-operation with the L.C.C. with regard to
Clearance Areas. It is to be hoped that this cooperation
will develop into a definite joint long-term
programme with a view to an expeditious and systematic
clearance and re-building of all the insanitary areas in
the borough, many of which have been represented as
long ago as 1920. The complicated procedure of the
Housing Acts involves great delay from the time action