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These instances could be multiplied almost indefinitely.
It is not always the owner of the property who nets the gross profit
from rooms in houses let in lodgings. Sometimes the tenant puts
in a few " sticks " and calls it furnished apartments. We are all
familiar with the usual excuses given for sub-letting. These
people state that they are forced to house more people than could
be decently housed, because there is no accommodation elsewhere,
and any roof is better than no roof at all.
The argument is false, because it omits to say that half-adozen
families in one house are forced to pay more than one family.
The reason why these houses are sub-let is not philanthropy, but it
is compounded of greed, possession and selfishness. More money
can be made out of the houses in that way, and little regard is paid
even to the health of the occupiers, much less to their comfort.
The high rents which are prevalent in the poorer areas is
one of the most serious problems of public health to-day. It will
at once be appreciated that a very large number of people in our
district have to lower the standard of nutrition in order to pay
rent. Our chief concern is the reduction of the wages available
for necessities after an exorbitant rent has been paid. There are
many workers earning good wage which would be sufficient to
support them and their families, but who are actually forced below
the poverty line as regards nutrition because of the excessive rents.
Sir Francis Freemantle uses the term "three ' R.'s," and states
it is generally recognised that the cost of Rent, Rates and Rail.
(or 'bus) for travelling to and from work should not exceed onefifth
of the family income. But in spite of the large increase in
house building, there was still a large section of the poorer population
whose needs were not yet met. There were many who could
not afford more than 12s. a week for these purposes, and this figure
was considerably beyond the means of workers with large families
or with uncertain employment.
If the standard mentioned by Sir Francis Freemantle were
observed, the minimum wages in Acton would vary from 75s. to
£5 a week. To anyone acquainted with the conditions, it is known
that such wages are not available to the great majority of artisans