View report page

54
that the section of the community which it is in the public interest
to house decently, have scarcely been affected by the provision.
The high rentals demanded, and the supervision imposed, are often
responsible for this. Excessively high rents are often due to the
fact that the house is "farmed," and the evils of sub-letting do not
begin and end here. The houses are sometimes let under no restrictive
conditions, and our existing administrative machinery is
insufficient to maintain a sufficient sanitary standard of occupancy.
More especially is this apparent when an endeavour is made to deal
with the evil effects—both sanitary and moral—of "over-crowding."
The provision of the standard of cubic space accepted by Magistratesis
inadequate to cope with the evils; and it is impossible to enforce
it in all cases, because it is sometimes impossible to learn the actual
truth from those whose object it is to conceal it. Apart from health
considerations, it would be difficult to exaggerate the moral degradation
involved in the overcrowded circumstances which we are often called
upon to witness, and are powerless from these two circumstances
combined, to remedy.
The Housing problem in and around London is a very complex
one. During recent years, there has been some decentralisation of
the population, and increased travelling facilities and the more
general use of the bicycle have promoted this. As the results of
this decentralisation, a large number of empty houses are to be seen
in most parts of the Metropolitan area, but the reduction of the
density of population per acre thereby involved is not accompanied
by a reduction in the density per room, and overcrowding still continues.
What is needed in the outskirts of the Metropolitan area is
accommodation at 2s. per room per week. It is impossible to
construct dwellings to be let at that rental; but it is worthy of consideration
as to whether some of' the older empty houses which are
now to be obtained at a very low price could not be adapted
structurally as tenement houses at 2s. per room. Meanwhile, it is
clearly the duty of Public Health Authorities to wage war against
insanitary dwellings, so as to make them no longer profitable for the