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54
the root of the housing problem. Even in some cases where the most
bitter complaints have been made by tenants of their dwellings, they
evince a strong prejudice against moving to better accommodation in
the neighbourhood because, although able to afford it, the rent may be
higher. In such cases, where serious overcrowding or the illegal
occupation of underground rooms aggravates the situation, the sanitary
authority should exercise its powers to the fullest extent.
Housing Conditions.—Throughout the year particular attention was
paid to the routine inspection of the housing conditions in the district.
The work of house-to-house inspection was pursued with even greater
activity than last year, the main object being to stimulate the work of
re-conditioning houses which by reason of age and decay were falling into
disrepair. Reference to Table II shows that 819 inspections under the
Housing Regulations, 1925, were made, as compared with 555 last year.
These figures indicate primary inspections, and may therefore be taken to
represent the number of dwelling-houses visited. These primary visits
entail a considerably greater number of re-visits for the purpose of meeting
owners or builders on the premises concerning work to be done, to see if
the work is in progress after notice, whether work has been completed as
required by a notice, for confirmatory details as to overcrowding, and so
on. Thus it is that, in proceeding through the houses of a street, a
slowing up of primary inspections takes place while the numbers of reinspections
multiply greatly. Last year the total re-inspections referred
to all premises; in this report the number 7,067 concerns dwelling-houses
only. House-to-house inspections have been made in the following
streets: Adam Street, Caledonia Place, Cottage Place, Ebury Bridge
Road, Glamorgan Street, Glasgow Terrace, Kensington Place, Kinnerton
Place North, Lillington Street, Meard Street, Mercer Chambers, Royalty
Mansions, St. George's Square Mews, Vincent Street and Westbourne
Street. The houses numbered 340, containing the dwellings of 650
families. In them were found a number of cases of overcrowding, of which
five were of a serious nature. Of those five two were remedied by informal
action or notice by the end of the year. There were two basement
dwellings found to be illegally occupied, and in each case occupation was
discontinued. Insanitary conditions, such as insufficient water supply,
inadequate w.c. accommodation, defective or dirty or damp conditions,
or combinations of all or any of these three were found in 210, and
appropriate action was taken in each case either informally or by notice.
Under the category defined by Section 3, Housing Act, 1925,953 houses
were reported as not in all respects reasonably fit for habitation. The
number so found last year was 814. The increase does not imply that
housing conditions throughout the City are irretrievably bad and are