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98
rendering it impossible to deal with the one set without dealing also
with the other set by demolition, followed by rebuilding. This state of
things appears to be unfair, however necessary it may be in practice, and
powers should be obtained which will enable some compensation to be
given for those individual houses which are more or less fit, found in a
slum area. It is clear that powers to Local Authorities to recondition
must be accompanied with powers also to demolish as required, with
right of appeal to the Ministry of Health by the owners concerned.
Again, another anomally is the fact that, when the Local Authority
has compulsorily purchased the site and the houses (without paying
for the latter), such Local Authority becomes the landlord and collects
the rents until such time as the houses are demolished—it may be for
a matter of years. This is obviously unfair to the late owners, and
may also be described as farming insanitary houses at the expense of
the tenants' health ! The law requires alteration in this respect, too.
A reconditioning scheme, as opposed to a demolishing scheme, would
necessitate, it is suggested, the Local Authority setting up a Housing
Department, an Estates Management Commission, which might, it is
suggested further, be financed out of Housing Bonds. This is not far
removed from municipal trading, and will doubtless be opposed as
such, before any suggested reconditioning scheme is officially approved
in the same way as new municipal housing schemes (financed out of
public funds) are sometimes opposed at times for a similar reason.
As examples of what systematic reconditioning can do, the
following Lambeth instances may be quoted: Ethelm Street (70),*
Pascal Street (26), Hemans Street (54), Portland Cottages (11),
Seaham Street (37), Simpson Street (25), Neptune Cottages (4), Spring
Gardens (6), Neville Street (15), Loughborough Street (33), Wyndyard
Terrace (11), Esher Street (51), Kennington Road (24), Chryssell
Road (54), Vassall Road (69), Baker Street (51), Farrar Street (18),
Russell Grove (24), Kenbury Street (91), Flaxman Road (38), Lilford
Road (53), Addison Place (10), Normandy Place (14), Dugdale Street
(25), Regent Road (73), Dunkirk Street (25), † East Street (9), †
East Place (19), † These examples are taken from the records of work
carried out by the Council's two Sanitary Inspectors (Housing) since
their appointments in 1920.
*The basements have not yet been dealt with, and are awaiting (a) "reconditioning"
by being opened up, lighted and ventilated), or (b) allernatively, closed as
dwelling-rooms (and converted into stores).
† Dunkirk Street, East Street, and East Place form part of an area which has
been under consideration from time to time for "representation" under the old
Housing Act, 1890, but which has been greatly improved by " reconditioning" by
the private owners under the new Housing Act, 1919. The waterlogging of the
area has been improved by the L.C.C. sewerage works.