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101
The Housing Act of 1030 went still further and gave power to close
part of a building in separate occupation for all purposes of habitation.
This included underground rooms and extends the provisions of the
Public Health Act. By this scction an underground room or any room
in fact which was irremediably damp, defective or otherwise insanitary
can be closed if separately occupied. It does not matter whether the
room complies with cither of the former statutes on structural points or
not. The drawback is that such a room if closed is closed for all dwelling
purposes. It cannot be used for kitchen or scullery purposes or for washhouse,
drying room, &c. In such circumstances the unavoidable result
would be for the room to become a harbourage for dirt, rubbish, vermin,
perhaps even rats; dampness and mustiness would develop thus
becoming a source of nuisance to the whole house. Experience of basement
rooms closed many years ago has confirmed this opinion.
The occupation of underground rooms continues to provoke discussion,
and particular reference is sometimes made to the return of occupied
underground rooms which appeared in the late Dr. F. J. Allan's report
for 1923. Once again does it appear necessary to quote the late .Medical
Officer of Health (Dr. Allan) on this subject:—
1923. " Occupied Basements.—The County Council asked to be supplied with information
as to the number of houses in Westminster in which basements were
made use of for dwelling purposes, whether let separately or as part of the
rest of a house. The reply sent to the four questions asked is appended:—
(a) Number of basements used for dwelling purposes 6,914
(b) Number of basement dwellings with ceilings at or below
the street level 2,620
(c) Number of basement dwellings in which the width of area
in street docs not exceed 3 ft 625
(d) Number of basement dwellings in which the width of area
in street does not exceed 4 ft. 636
Nearly half of the number under (a) are in the Victoria Ward and a third
are in Mayfair and Knightsbridge districts."
In his final report (1924) he felt that his statement had been misinterpreted.
He says:
" Statements have appeared in the press during the last year making allegations
as to the existence of slum areas and slum conditions in Westminster.
It is a great help to a local authority to have the inhabitants take an intelligent
interest in sanitary matters, but the object is defeated when exaggerated statements
are made. Some such statements appear to be due to a misunderstanding
of the facts upon which the statements are made. For instance, a
quotation is given from my last Annual Report that in 6,914 houses the basc(9489)
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