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92
for housing accommodation who are living under
overcrowded conditions continues to operate.
During the year 456 cases have been so certified.
These, added to the balance of cases outstanding at
the end of 1937 made a total of 868 cases to be
dealt with. During 1938, 158 cases have been
accommodated and in 190 other instances information
has been received from the L.C.C. that the
application has been cancelled for various reasons
(arrears of rent on existing tenancies, no replies to
letters addressed to applicants, not bothering to
view accommodation offered, are typical reasons).
This leaves a total of 520 cases remaining to be
dealt with at the end of 1938. In view of the fact
that some 130 of these cases were certified in 1936
the question of some speeding up in dealing with
these arrears has recently been taken up with the
L.C.C. Doubtless in some instances the delay is
due to the special size of the flat or house needed
but in others it is due to the reluctance of the
applicant to leave the district. Some of the reasons
given for refusing offers made seem to be far from
reasonable.
In addition to cases certified for preferential consideration
on the grounds of overcrowding, 104
other cases were certified for preferential consideration
in the main on health grounds, but the
L.C.C. have only found it possible to deal with 10 of
these and similar applications made in preceding
years. The total of cases outstanding which have
been certified under this category is now 205.
The system of notifying the owner or other responsible
person of the provisions of the Act in
relation to overcrowding has been continued as regards
all known cases of premises being vacated.
Some 250 letters have been written in this connection.