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64
may be necessary, by the conditions and circumstances of their
employment, to house within the area of each Borough.
3.—That reasonable modifications of the existing Building Laws and
Regulations are essential in order to facilitate the further erection
of industrial dwellings.
Statistical Inquiries.
In reference to the second of the above resolutions, on the 11th July a letter
was received from the Statistical Department of the London County Council, instructed
by the Housing of the Wor.ring Classes Committee, quoting the above
resolution and suggesting that the scope of the proposed inquiry be somewhat
enlarged and all the Authorities concerned proceed on uniform lines, so that the
results may be co-ordinate and made available for London as a whole, and enclosing
copy of a form of register for such inquiry The Housing of the
Working Classes Committee of the London County Council desired to learn
(a) whether it was probable that the Borough Council would undertake the
inquiry in their area—(b) if so, whether they would be prepared to work
on the lines of the enclosed form, or of some uniform plan to be agreed upon,
and (c) whether the Borough Council had any information previously compiled
relating to the subject, and if it could be supplied to the Housing of the
Working Classes Committee of the London County Council, and the letter
finished with a reminder that the London County Council would not be
precluded from extending its inquiry in other respects if so desired.
A further letter, dated 5th November, stated that the Housing Committee of
the London County Council had received definite replies from the majority
of the Borough Councils, and were anxious to receive a report from this Council.
Later a letter was received from the Council of the City of Westminster,
stating that on the recommendation of their Housing Committee, they
decided to at once undertake the suggested statistical inquiry, and enclosing
copies of draft forms approved and adopted, and further asking to be
informed what steps this Borough Council weie taking in the matter. The
draft forms enclosed referred, the first to dwelling houses and the second to
business houses.
The temporary staff required for such an inquiry for St. Pancras would have
lobe considerable if it were to be completed within a reasonable time, and so
it was advisable firstly to fully understand what information would be required
to ascertain the facts, and secondly, bow this information could be economically
and promptly obtained.
The interpretation of the resolution of the Conference appeared to be funda- •
mentally that each Borough Council should inquire as to the number and
condition of the Working Class for whose housing it may be considered
responsible. This implied a limit of wage, a limit of dwelling, and a limit of
rental, in order to consider which is the class for whose housing 'the Borongh
Council is responsible. Now St. Pancras contains an enormous number of
.small dwellings, a large proportion of the occupiers of which work in other
Boroughs, or more central parts of London. Is it the duty of one Borough to
house the workers in other Boroughs, and is it the duty of one Borough to
l ouse persons displaced by another Borough ? It has been pointed out on a