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61
OVERCROWDING.
In administering the statutory provisions relating to overcrowding,
which became operative in this Borough on the 1st January, 1938, due
regard has been given to the view expressed by the Minister of Health,
in Memorandum B issued in relation to the Housing Act, 1935, that
local authorities will use their powers of prosecution with discretion
and that even when overcrowding constitutes an ofience, the normal procedure
will be to assist the overcrowded family to find other and more
suitable accommodation.
It is appreciated that families are, in most cases, overcrowded
through no fault of their own and that lack of suitable accommodation,
although perhaps not so acute as in former years, finance and the necessity
for living in close proximity to the places of employment are the
principal causes of overcrowding.
Early in the year certain owners offered to transfer overcrowded
families living in their premises to accommodation which, although
larger, was not sufficiently large tp abate the overcrowding, until such
time as suitable accommodation could be offered to them.
In view of the present shortage of suitable alternative accommodation
within the meaning of the Act, particularly for the larger families
and the possibility that these families might have had to wait some considerable
time before.they could be offered accommodation, this was
deemed to be the " common sense " way of dealing with these cases, and
the owners were informed that such transfers would be permitted subject
to the Council being informed when they took place.
In March, 1938, the Council appointed an Enquiry Officer to make
all out-door enquiries in connection with overcrowding.
This officer makes periodic visits to registered cases of overcrowding,
and visits for the following purposes, viz.:—
To ascertain whether overcrowded families offered accommodation
have moved away, or the reason for the non-acceptance of the
offers.
To ascertain whether premises scheduled for review have
become overcrowded.
To make enquiries in connection with applications for housing
accommodation.
To carry out the enumeration of premises.