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HOUSING. 87
to improve the conditions in the "Clarendon Street Area" was that provision should be made
for a playing court for the children residing in the area. At the beginning of December, 1911,
a report was submitted by the Medical Officer of Health to the Public Health Committee
calling attention to the dilapidated and insanitary condition of Nos. 20 to 30 (even Nos.),
Cirencester Street, and urging that the Council should be recommended to direct an "Improvement
Scheme" to be prepared for dealing with those houses. The Council adopted on
January 9th of last year the recommendation to that effect submitted by the Committee.
In March of last year the Committee passed a resolution instructing the Medical Officer of
Health to include the adjacent properties known as No. 18, Cirencester Street, and Nos. 1 to 5,
Cirencester Place, together with the open space in front of the latter, in the Scheme. The
Scheme, prepared in accordance with the instructions of the Committee, was adopted by the
Council on May 21st, 1912, and forwarded to the Local Government Board for approval. A
Public Inquiry was held by the Inspector of the Board on October 2nd, 1912, and on the 9th of
January of this year the Board issued the "Paddington (Housing of the Working Classes)
Order, 1913," confirming the Scheme.
Cirencester Place and the open space in front of it were purchased by a lady interested in
the Scheme, and have been presented to the Council.
The land to be acquired will form an open space of a quarter of an acre or thereabouts,
open to the south and fairly protected on the north and east sides. It will make
a serviceable playground for the many children living in the area, who at present throng the
streets.
Underground. Rooms.—By direction of the Council draft regulations under Section 17 of
the Act of 1909 were prepared by the Medical Officer of Health, provisionally approved
by the Council on January 21st, 1913, and submitted to the Local Government Board on
February 8th, 1913.
Underground rooms at the undermentioned premises were dealt with during the past year
under Section 96 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891 :—
80, Harrow Road. 74, Star Street. 4, Bouverie Street.
70, Harrow Road. 49, Maida Vale. 13, St. Mary's Square.
78, Harrow Road. 19, Cambridge Place. 116, Church Street.
10, Star Street. 43, Woodchester Street.
Rents oe Tenements.—In the autumn of 1906 the Board of Trade sought the cooperation
of the Department in inquiries as to the rents of tenements in the Borough.*
Application was made last year for similar information. The results of the two inquiries as to
rents appear to be of sufficient interest to justify their inclusion here. The streets selected as
containing typical "working class" dwellings, and the numbers of houses and tenements dealt
with in the inquiries, are given in Table 48. In addition to the streets mentioned in that table,
particulars were obtained with reference to the Queen's Park Estate, which have been reserved
for separate consideration.
The total number of houses returned in the streets included in Table 48 (page 93) was 1,579
in 1906 and 1,612 in 1912—an increase of 33 in the latter year. On the other hand, the number of
tenements decreased from 4,631 in 1906 to 4,461 in 1912—a fall of 170. The tenements included
in the table are those which are let at definite rentals, tenements which were occupied by
" landlords," as well as those which were let furnished or in connection with shops, being
excluded. It may appear at first sight to be an anomaly that with a larger number of houses
under investigation there should be fewer tenements. The anomaly disappears if the numbers of
tenements of various sizes be examined. It will be seen at once that reductions were recorded
* The results of the Board's inquiries throughout the country were embodied in a Report, "Cost of Living
of the Working Classes," published in 1908. [Cd. 3864.]