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1928
11
In an official circular issued 10 years ago, it was stated
that a fit house should be:—
(1) free from serious dampness,
(2) satisfactorily lighted and ventilated,
(3) properly drained and provided with adequate sanitary
conveniences, and with a sink and suitable arrangements for
disposing of slop water,
(4) in good sanitary repair,
and should have:—
(5) a satisfactory water supply,
(6) adequate washing accommodation,
(7) adequate facilities for preparing and cooking food,
(8) a well ventilated store for food.
At the conference above referred to, the minimum standard
of accommodation now required for an ordinary family was given.
There must be one room adequate for family life, living room;
and a room in which the damp and dirty operations can be conducted,
the scullery. Generally—there should be three bedrooms,
though two will suffice for a certain number of families, and
four may be required for others. In addition there should be a
bathroom, larder, fuel store and W.C. There are single people,
old couples and others who do not need the full accommodation
of the average family.
As previously stated, we have no area which in any way
corresponds to the above descriptions of a slum area. It is
however, only by constant supervision and pressure upon both
tenants and owners that a deterioration in some classes of
property does not take place, and any relaxation would result in
isolated houses becoming nothing better than slums.
The chief difficulty we have to contend with arises from
the want of sufficient houses at a reasonable rent. The Borough
has only recently developed. Most of the houses are in streets
well-laid out, and there are no courts, alleys and back-to-back
houses. But the houses are sub-let and overcrowding results.
The establishment of new industries has increased the pressure
because, naturally, the employees wish to be as near as possible
to their place of employment. Since the war new industries have
been established in the Borough, many of which have expert
employees, and the labour employed in these industries is drawn
from all parts of London and the Provinces. In the case of
workmen who formerly lived in the provinces, they are naturally
anxious to get rooms near the works.
With a few exceptions, such as the Council's houses,
houses erected on the Great Western Railway land, and some