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the first section, upon which 134 houses will be erected, is now
being proceeded with.
Overcrowding—extent and causes.—The number of rooms
overcrowded, from the legal point of view of actual cubic space,
which came to my notice during the year was 113. This number
of course represents only overcrowded conditions discovered by
the Sanitary Inspectors and in the course of their ordinary work,
or during the routine house-to-house inspections. Figures in
regard to overcrowding, however, afford little indication of the
congested conditions under which many hundreds of families are
living. The problem is to a great extent an economic one, as
it can be readily understood that the poorer classes are forced
to accept accommodation to accord in some degree with
their means, while the fortunate possessor of a spare room is
glad to obtain a tenant for it to augment his perhaps scanty
income, while the position is further aggravated when the inevitable
increase in the family occurs.
Measures taken to deal with overcrowding.—The problem
of dealing with overcrowded conditions remains a difficult one.
Harsh procedure is out of the question, as In practically every
case the offender is the victim of circumstances, and no alternative
accommodation is procurable. It is sometimes possible to
alleviate the conditions a little by suggesting a re-arrangement
of the sleeping accommodation, and whenever possible this is
done.
Fitness of houses.—The general standard of fitness of
houses seems to be improving, and there is a gradual recovery
from the neglected condition of property generally, which resulted
from the War. The principal defects discovered during routine
inspection were defective roofs and rain-water gutters, and dirty
and dilapidated condition of interiors, the latter, of course, more
prevalent now than hitherto on account of the greater proportion
used as actual living rooms.