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17
here, and that the unskilled workmen does not earn anything like
these figures. One-fourth and frequently one-third of his wages
has to be spent upon rent, and the nutrition of his family has to
suffer.
We have extensive records from which conclusions can be
drawn and it may be stated that there are very few privately
owned non-controlled flats of 3 rooms which are let under 15s. a
week. This figure can be taken as a minimum one; many have
to pay more than this sum.
As in most other places, our housing problem is essentially
one of housing the poor, that is, those who cannot be expected to
pay more than 12s. a week in rent, having regard to the other calls
on the family income. These people have not been sufficiently
catered for in the post-war housing campaign. Houses built by
private enterprise are mostly built for owner-occupiers and as the
figures on a previous page show, until the flats on the Friars Estate
were built, the houses erected by the Council were beyond the
reach of those in most urgent need of accommodation.
The question of high rent is our most urgent one at the present
time, and the question of closing individual houses is not so important
nor does it loom so large. Scattered throughout the district
there are certain houses which will in time have to be closed. Some
of these have passed the state when they can be rendered fit for
human habitation at a reasonable expenditure. Many factors
are bringing about the deterioration of these houses. In some of
them the owners have not taken sufficient care of the property.
Maintenance of houses in a proper state of repair and general fitness
is now, in many towns the most difficult part of the sanitary
inspectors many duties. The landlord should, but rarely does, regard
house property as a wasting asset, and set aside annually a sufficient
sum to buy himself out and rebuild when the property reaches
the condition of old age. Quite recently when a demolition order
was contemplated upon some houses which were admitted to be
about 2(H) years old, possibly more, it was suggested that an attempt
should be made to recondition these houses. In the Report of the
Departmental Committee on Housing, it is stated unequivocally
that they were opposed to the policy of reconditioning as a cheap
alternative to the demolition of houses which can and should be
demolished as the law stands. These old houses are gradually
being demolished and all those for which demolition orders were
made would come into the category of worn-out houses.
There is another type of house which is unsatisfactory
and difficult to deal with. These are the large and increasing number