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if he collected any rent he would be liable to a penalty, and
accordingly has not attempted so to do. The Greenwich Borough
Council have, however, regularly collected the rates from the
occupying tenants. This tenancy, however, must by the operation
of natural causes come to an end at no distant date, four
courses of slates only now remaining upon the roof. Therefore
the conditions under which these people continue to live are
getting very bad indeed.
The National Housing and Town Planning Council have
definitely adopled the principle of differential renting to meet
the cases of large poor families under the name of a children's
rent allowance; details of their scheme are set out in the report
of a Sub-Committee entitled "Policy for the Slums." The
Committee suggest that in cases where there are at least three
children and where the total family income does not exceed
55/- per week, a rebate from the rent should be allowed, 3/for
the first three children and sixpence per child after with
a maximum of 4/-. Where the total family income is below
45/- the rebate to be 4/- for the first three children with a
maximum of 5/-. They further recommend that two-thirds of
the cost of the Children's Rent Allowance should be borne by
the Exchequer and one-third by the rates.
It would seem that something on these lines might help
to solve this difficulty of the housing of the very poorest
families, and it would further appear that the present Housing
Bill would permit of some such arrangement being made. It
is to be hoped that this Council may see their way to be able
to allocate a certain amount of housing accommodation on these
lines. I understand that in the City of Vienna very wonderful
housing schemes have been not only evolved, but actually carried
out, and that large numbers of poor families have been rehoused
under what one might almost call palatial conditions, such provision
including central heating, hot and cold water supply,
electric supply, and a number of other amenities, and yet the
cost of the scheme has been what one might term of an economic
character. In my opinion it is well worth the consideration of
this Council, particularly in view of the proposals in regard to
the small area which we ourselves may probably be dealing with
at no distant date.
During November, I officially represented to the Council
under Part II. of the Housing Act, 1925, the condition of
certain houses known as the Bell Street Area, comprising the
following 88 houses : —