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Housing of Transmigrants.
Prior to the war the question of the accommodation of transmigrants arriving in this country
from Eastern Europe en route for America, was frequently under consideration by the Public Health
Committee, owing to the fact that these persons were found to be housed under very unsatisfactory
conditions during their stay in the metropolis. During the period of hostilities the traffic ceased, but
was again resumed in the early part of 1920. Previously two blocks of tenements in the East-End of
London had been used for the housing of these people, but on the resumption of the traffic these tenements
were reported to be no longer available. Overcrowding and insanitary conditions again beingfound,
the Council brought the facts to the notice of the Home Office and the Ministry of Health. Conferences
were arranged between representatives of these departments, and the shipping companies engaged in
this traffic, a representative of the public health department of the Council being invited to be present,
these conferences culminated in two of the large shipping companies making satisfactory provision for
the housing, cleansing and disinfection of transmigrants. At the time of writing this report the adequacy
of the arrangements made was still being inquired into.

Housing Acts.
In the Annual Report for the year 1919 particulars were given of a scheme for the provision of
dwellings for the working classes which had been submitted by the Council to the Ministry of Health
for approval. In January, 1920, the Minister of Health accepted the scheme as ranking for state financial
assistance subject to approval of details, in so far as it may be completed within the period of five
years from the passing of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919, or such further period as the
Minister may allow, in view of difficulties arising in connection with labour or material, or from other
circumstances beyond the Council's control. The approval was given on the understanding that there
would be a review of the adequacy of the proposals within the next two years, and that the Council
would submit a definite annual building programme and would make satisfactory provision for dealing
with slum areas.
At the present time the Council has under consideration 26 representations of insanitary areas
by borough medical officers of health. Of these four—Ware-street, Shoreditch, Bell-lane, and Ellenstreet,
Stepney, and Hickman's Folly, Bermondsey—have formed the subject of improvement schemes
under Part I. of the Housing Act of 1890 and the Acts amending the same, with the following result
A representation having been made to the Council by the borough medical officer of health of
Shoreditch, the Council decided to make an improvement scheme under Part I. of the Housing of the
61004 f
Ware-street
area,
Shoreditch.