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32
the acre, rather than the number of houses to the acre,
when expressing an opinion upon density, and I am
glad to be able to say that my views are supported in
the evidence given before the Royal Commission upon
the Geographical Distribution of the Industrial
Population at the end of 1938, when the conclusion
was that the density of houses per acre was less
important in its association with mortality than the
crowding of people per room.
Continuing the remarks upon social conditions, I
am glad to be able to record the continued improvement
in the layout of the Council's housing estates.
Social consciousness has been awakened to the fact that
the good quality of housing depends primarily upon
the good quality of the neighbourhoods and towns in
which houses are erected. To be a real home the house
in which we live should not be in a mean street, or if
in a good street not in a mean neighbourhood or if
in a good neighbourhood not in a generally mean and
disorderly town. '
Many of the tenants removed from the central area
of the town and similarly those from East London to
the Becontree Estate have shown by their use of the
new accommodation how much they prize the change
from their previous circumstances. Unfortunately,
we still have something like 5 per cent, of these
transfers who tend for some time to show no improvement
and it is with these that we must continue our
health education.
(e) Travelling Facilities.—There has been no improvement
in the standard of travelling conditions to and
from Barking during the year, and I can only continue
to deplore that such conditions should exist.
(f) Malnutrition.—With the increasing facilities at the
clinics, whereby dried milks, baby preparations and