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(c) Number of dwelling-houses the defects in which were
remedied without the making of closing orders 1145
(3) Acion Uuder Sec. 28 of the Housing Act, 1919 Nil.
(4) (a) Number of representations made to the local authority
with a view to the making of closing orders—
As regards the whole house Nil,
„ underground rooms Nil.
(b) Number of Closing Orders made—
As regards the whole house Nil.
,. underground rooms Nil.
(c) Number of dwelling-houses in regard to which closing
orders were determined Nil.
(5) (a) Number of demolition orders made Nil.
(b) „ houses demolished in pursuance of demolition
orders Nil.
(6) Number of dwelling-houses demolished voluntarily Nil.
(7) Obstructive Buildings. Representations, demolitions, etc. ,, Nil.
(8) No staff is engaged exclusively on housing work. The 11 district inspectors carry
out all inspections of houses, and the subsequent clerical work is performed by the
general clerical staff. A large amount of negotiation and other work in connection
with housing has devolved upon Mr. A. Powel Coke, Chief Clerk in the Public
Health Department and Clerk of the Special (Housing) Committee, and the
following section in regard to the work of that Committee has been compiled by
him.
WORK OF THE SPECIAL (HOUSING) COMMITTEE.
The following is a summary of the principal matters which were considered by the
Special (Housing) Committee during the past year. In regard to some of the questions which
will be referred to, the summary has been brought beyond the end of 1920:—
On the 16th November, 1920, Councillor W. Carter and Councillor A. Davis were
appointed Chairman and Deputy- Chairman respectively.
Chester House.
Allocation of Flats.—With the view to facilitating the allocation of the twelve flats at
Chester House and the principles which should be applied in the selection of the tenants, a
small Sub-Committee was appointed to deal with the matter. The Sub-Committee had before
them the numerous applications which had been received and came to the conclusion that the
question of overcrowding should be the first guiding principle in the allocation of these flats,
and that the applicants be allotted accommodation not larger than was deemed sufficient to
meet the reasonable needs of the families taking into consideration the sex and ages of the
children and the bedroom accommodation required. The applications were carefully analysed,
and the Sub-Committee visited numerous families in the Borough, who were living under
conditions of serious overcrowding in one room, as a result of which the selection of tenants
was made.
Rating of new Flats.—The Committee considered the question of the rating of Chester
House, and made representations to the Rating Committee to adopt some kind of uniformity
of rating of the new flats in relation to accommodation as compared with that provided in