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(2) Number of separate tenements or underground rooms
in respect of which Closing Orders were determined,
the tenement or room having been rendered fit Nil
4. Housing Act, 1936, Part IV—Overcrowding: —
(a) (1) Number of dwelling houses overcrowded at end of year 9
(2) Number of families dwelling therein 13
(3) Number of persons dwelling therein 49
(b) Number of new cases of overcrowding reported during the
year 6
(c) (1) Number of cases of overcrowding relieved during the
year 8
(2) Number of persons concerned in such cases 39
(d) Particulars of any cases in which dwelling houses have again
become overcrowded after the Local Authority has taken
steps for the abatement of overcrowding Nil
Number of New Houses Erected during the Year: —
By the Local Authority 114
By other persons 82
The Chief Sanitary Inspector reports that "In spite of increasing
difficulties associated with the repair of unfit houses a
considerable measure of repair work has been carried out during
the year and a total of 390 houses were rendered fit in consequence
of action taken by the Department. This number compares
favourably with the figure of 217 recorded in the previous year,
despite the fact that fewer houses were inspected. This trend
emphasizes the policy being pursued of dealing only with the more
urgent items of disrepair under the provisions of the Public
Health Act in preference to action visualised under the provisions
of the Housing Act, 1936.
Nevertheless, it is becoming more and more apparent that
only complete revision of the legislation dealing with the repair
and maintenance of houses will resolve the problem presented by
high cost repairs in relation to low controlled rents.
With the need at the present time for more and more houses,
it is virtually impossible to consider demolition, except in extreme
cases, yet such action would be inevitable in many cases if the
statutory steps to be taken under the Housing Act were pursued.
These factors are no doubt of much more concern in many
areas in the country, but the gradual deterioration in the condition
of the class of property under consideration, even in districts such
as this where the general level of housing is of a much higher
standard than the average, points to the urgency of the problem.
The Housing Department have again shown their readiness
to assist where possible in the more acute cases of overcrowding."
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