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33
HOUSING
discovery of understatements of income and any grant already made was thereupon stopped.
Certain applicants were called upon to refund the cost of milk supplied and all were warned
of the liability to prosecution for making false statements. Four cases were laid before the
Council's Solicitor, who advised that there was a prima facie case against each applicant. The
papers were sent to the Criminal Investigation Department and two summonses were issued,
the defendant in one case being sent to prison for 21 days with hard labour. In the other
proceedings the defendant was found not guilty. A milkman who sent in an account for milk
ordered by the Council but not supplied was fined £20, with the alternative of two months'
imprisonment. The milkman refused to deliver the milk as the family was in his debt
for earlier supplies.
Other Work.—The Maternity Committee in addition to considering grants for milk, etc.,
assists in making provision for expectant and nursing mothers (unmarried) before and after the
births of the children at St. Mary Magdalene's Home and for married and unmarried mothers
requiring convalescent treatment. The Committee also contributed to the maintenance of
children admitted to the Hostel—Beauchamp Lodge, Warwick Crescent—on account of the
parents requiring treatment away from home Four (4) unmarried mothers were admitted to
St. Mary Magdalene's Home, the Council's share in their maintenance amounting to
£70 11s. Od. Ten (10) children were dealt with at the Hostel at a cost of £23 13s. 6d. Two
mothers with their infants were given convalescent treatment at Shooter's Hill for three weeks
in each instance, the full cost being met by the Council.
Day Nurseries.—There are two of these institutions in the Borough, the "Paddington
Day Nursery" at Porchester Houses and the "Queen's Park" in Lancefield Street. At the
former some 374 children attended with a total attendance of 4,705. The Nursery was closed
on account of infectious disease (chickenpox and whooping cough) on 35 days, the total
number of days on which children were received being 208.
The Queen's Park Nursery was open on 284 days, and received 316 children who made 4,973
attendances.
III.—HOUSING.
The "Housing Board" for London appointed by the Minister of Health in July, 1919,
ceased to exist as from July 1st, 1921, the functions of the Board being absorbed by the London
Section of the Housing Division of the Ministry.
Conversions.—No. 30 Westbourne Square was the only house acquired and converted
by the Housing Board on behalf of the Council under Sec. 16 of the Housing Act of 1919.
No. 8 Warrington Crescent was acquired by the Board and the conversion into flats
undertaken by the Council. The conversion of the latter house was very nearly complete at
the end of the year. The former was occupied (as 4 flats) in the latter half of 1920.
Owners of property are not required to give the Council formal notice of their intention
to convert "single" dwelling-houses into flats. Where the conversion provides self-contained
flats the work generally involves notice to the District Surveyor and generally alterations
to the drains, etc., of which notice has to be given to the Borough Council. While it may be
assumed that most conversions into self-contained flats come to the knowledge of the
Department, the fact remains that conversions into so called flats—really tenements—without
special adaptations are only discovered in the course of inspections at dates subsequent to the
conversions. Moreover, there is practically very little control over conversions into selfcontained
flats—a practice for which little or no provision is made in the Building Acts—and
none over conversion into tenements. Even when the Bye-laws under Sec. 26 of the Act
come into operation, they will only regulate conversions of tenements intended for occupation
by persons of the working class. There is urgent need of legislation to regulate all conversions.
Last year 39 conversions came to the knowledge of the Department, as compared with 77
in 1920. Two of the 39 houses were united to form a "hostel," the other 37 houses being
altered to accommodate 115 families. In the course of the two last years 114 houses, previously
occupied by one family each, have been made to accommodate 332 families. Assuming that
the houses originally held on an average 6 persons each, and that the new "flats," now house
3 each, the conversions result in an increase of population from 684 persons to 966, or over 45
per cent. Even if the increase be no more than 30 per cent.—one-third less than just
estimated—it is manifest that very important issues as regards public health are involved.
Density of population (persons per acre) and mortality (death rate per 1,000 persons) are
intimately correlated, and an increase in the density following a 30 per cent. increase in the
population within fixed boundaries, cannot fail to influence the mortality and mørbidity rates.