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if this course had not been followed overcrowding would have been even
greater than at present and lack of decency as regards the separation of
the sexes would have been still more pressing.
Circular 49/44 of the Ministry of Health, dated 17th April, 1944
stated :
"It is important that, if practicable, no work should be carried out
which is not in conformity with building byelaws or similar legal
provisions where they are in force, or with byelaws under section
6 or regulations under section 12 of the Housing Act, 1936. This
applies whether a local authority are doing the work on requisitioned
property or in default of the owner or, alternatively, where the
owner is carrying out his own work.
In a strictly legal sense, work upon requisitioned property may
proceed irrespective of statutory or other provisions which would
apply if the property were in private hands. But it would be unfortunate
if any work, particularly adaptations or conversions of a
permanent character, carried out on property which will revert to
the owner, failed to conform to the ordinary law. Whilst endeavouring
therefore to maintain a war-time standard of economy, the
local authority should, wherever practicable, comply with the
provisions mentioned."
It is by reason of this compelling necessity that some houses which
should be dealt with under Section 25 (Clearance) have been
requisitioned by the Council and the families living therein made as comfortable
as circumstances permitted. For instance, one such group of
houses, comprising 13 properties housing 21 families, is definitely below
standard on account of restricted space, back-to-back type of construction
and lack of reasonable domestic amenities. The demolition of these
houses, however, as in the case of other houses which are only suitable
for clearance under Section 25 of the Housing Act, 1936, would throw
a further burden on the housing register, particularly since in this
instance the site is too small for the erection of municipal buildings. It is
desirable, however, that the existence of this type of housing should not
be forgotten by either the Public Health or Housing Committees.
A further point to be remembered is that some of the dwellings
classed as suitable for action under Section 9 (Reconditioning) may, in
fact, because of the uneconomic cost of repair require either individual
demolition under Section 11, or, if they are in groups, action under
Section 25 (Clearance). In the case of buildings originally constructed
of good materials where demolition either of individual houses or blocks