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population living at a density of more than 2 persons per room has fallen
as follows:—
1911 16,596
1921 11,364
1931 7,223
In pre-war days the public generally took but little interest in housing; it
had not then become a popular "cause."
Housing conditions in the City have been undergoing uninterrupted
improvement since 1919. Sometimes the rate of progress has slowed down
but it has never ceased. Now that so much new housing has been provided,
both in and outside the City, the rate of improvement will markedly
increase. During the course of the survey owners have become conscious
of the unsatisfactory conditions under which a number of their tenants were
living. Previously, apart from fulfilling the requirement of repair or
nuisance notices they had not realised that there were conditions capable
of improvement. The advantages of discussing with the owners, say,
occupation of basements at the premises, have created in many cases an
entirely new conception and the great majority of owners are willing to
co-operate with the local authority in whatever measures seem most
expedient for remedying conditions.
Can the separate occupation of a basement in all cases be regarded as
a satisfactory dwelling for a family? In the best cases (i.e. those which
satisfy all legal standards of occupation and are otherwise in a sanitary
condition) there can never be the amount of sunlight and fresh air which
is available for the ground and upper floors. In others, restricted
ventilation and light, together with dampness, may be so serious as
to call for closure for human habitation. Can such rooms be reconditioned
after closure and used in conjunction with rooms on upper floors?
The owner has the legal right to carry out such works as may enable the
local authority to revoke its closing orders if it considers that the rooms
have been made fit for habitation. In the great majority, the best that
can be attained is to recondition so that they may be occupied together
with rooms on the floor or floors above. The proper use would then be
kitchens or washhouses with baths and additional w.c.'s. The owner's
difficulty is to find tenants willing to take such additional accommodation,
for which a higher rent must obviously be paid. It must always
be remembered that these separate basement lettings are the cheapest in
the district and are in much demand by the poorest inhabitants.
As regards the detailed working of the survey it may be mentioned
that all rooms in working-class houses, apart from block dwellings, in the
(9169) G 2