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(Mr. Newport) to carry out certain arrears of work and house-tohouse
inspection. Mr. Newport directly supervised under Mr.
Kinch, the Chief Sanitary Inspector, the enumerators. Mr. Newport
obtained a permanent post elsewhere before the measurements
of form B were concluded, and Mr. Paterson was engaged as temporary
inspector and took over the direct supervision.
It will be appreciated that considerable office accommodation
was necessary for the enumerators and for the filing of nearly
17,000 forms A. Fortunately this was secured in St. Mary's School,
Oldhams Terrace. The Council had sold the site for the erection of
Labour Exchange offices, but the premises were not required for that
purpose until the early part of 1936, and the school premises were
utilised for office accommodation. As a result of consultations with
representatives of local authorities, the Minister of Health considered
that one enumerator could reasonably ,be expected to visit and complete
the forms for 300 houses per week. Our enumerators completed
over 400 each week ; they commenced duties on 25th November,
1935, and the survey was completed by 4th January, 1936.
It was stated on a preceding page that the overcrowding provisions
apply only to working-class dwellings, that is, according to
the definition in'Section 12," any premises used as a separate dwelling
by members of the working classes or a type suitable for such
use." Local authorities accordingly had to decide in the light of
this definition which houses in their area should be inspected. Some
authorities adopted the course of including every house in their
area. Many chose a rateable value criterion, excluding all
houses with a rateable value of £26, £20 or some other figure which
they regarded as appropriate to their area. Other had no definite
criterion, but excluded particular areas occupied by persons not of
the working classes. We adopted the latter method, basing our
action upon the knowledge and experience of the Sanitary Inspectors
and the Health Visitors. The whole of the south-west ward was
included. In the other wards the following areas were excluded :—
North East
Bowes Road. Friars Place Lane Perryn Road.
Churchfield Road Friary Road. St. Dunstans
East (except Nos. Friars Way. Avenue.
1-11 odd) Gibbon Road. St. Dunstans
Foster Road. Glendun Road. Gardens.
Friars Gardens. Old Oak Road. Shaa Road.
Vyner Road.