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One of the requisites for an inhabited canal boat is that if ordinarily used for the conveyance
of any foul or offensive cargo, it shall contain between the space occupied by such cargo and the
interior of any cabin used as a dwelling, two bulkheads of substantial construction, separated by a
space not less in any part than four inches, open throughout to the external air. Such space must
be furnished with a pump for the removal of any liquid and the bulkhead next to the cargo is to be
watertight.
Until recent years it had not been considered in this Borough that house refuse came within the
scope of the term "foul or offensive" cargo. Steps are now being taken, however, to ensure that
double bulkheads shall be fitted to all inhabited canal boats conveying house refuse, and the owners
of such boats are taking all necessary action to comply with this interpretation of the Regulations.
The annual cleansing at Paddington Basin was carried out during the week-end 24th-26th April.
About 750 tons of mud were removed from the bed of the Basin, in addition to 557 tons which were
dredged previously, a total of 1,307 tons, being some 9 tons less than that removed in 1D35.
HOUSING.
Overcrowding Survey.
The Housing Act, 1935, required the Council to make a survey of the Borough to ascertain the
extent of overcrowding and the places where it existed and to report to the London County Council
thereon. The survey commenced on 30th October, 1935, and was completed by the end of January,
1936. It comprised three phases:—
(1) the preliminary enumeration, involving a visit to every working class dwelling in the Borough
and the recording on the prescribed form of the number of rooms and the number of occupants,
under and over ten years of age.
(2) the survey, involving the measuring and recording of the rooms of every dwelling where
at the preliminary visit it was not possible to verify the existence of overcrowding without
measuring up rooms, but such was likely to be present.
(3) the preparation of summaries for each ward, showing the number of families of various sizes
and the number of rooms occupied, and indicating the number which were overcrowded
and those which were not overcrowded.
The survey was intended to apply only to "premises used as a separate dwelling by members
of the working classes or of a type suitable for such use," but in order that none should be overlooked,
the number of houses actually visited was approximately 12,100. In the course of the inquiry,
however, it was ascertained that many of these were used for business purposes only or could not
definitely be placed in the category laid down and consequently particulars of them were not included
in the final summaries.
As a result of the first stage or enumeration, 1,435 dwellings were found to be overcrowded
within the meaning of the Act. A further 4,584 dwellings were found to be possibly overcrowded
and the 3,042 houses containing these doubtfully overcrowded dwellings were the subject of the
second stage, or survey. 2,500 houses were completely measured up and 542 only partly, this latter
deficiency being accounted for by inability to gain admission to certain rooms and the restricted
period allowed for the whole work. In the 3,042 "doubtfully overcrowded" houses there were
found 563 definitely overcrowded dwellings. See '• Distribution " Table on page 64.
As will be seen from the summary table below the number of occupied working class dwellings
was 27,212. The number of overcrowded dwellings was 1,998, a percentage of 7.3.
It was also ascertained that 2,024 empty rooms, contained in 641 houses of working class type,
existed in the Borough. The final summaries were:—