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Housing.—Demolition orders were made under »Section 19
of the Housing Act, 1930, with respect to six houses. Three other
houses were represented as unfit for human habitation but with
respect to two the owner submitted proposals for their reconditioning
which were accepted by the Council, the third being
sold and the new owner giving an undertaking not to use the
house for human habitation.
Altogether, 105 houses have been represented as unfit for
human habitation since 1930 when the five years' plan was drawn
up, 24 more than were originally estimated. Arising out of these
representations there were 63 demolition orders, 23 undertakings
from owners not to re-let the houses for human habitation, and
17 houses reconditioned. In respect of the other two houses
the owner submitted plans for reconditioning, which were accepted
by the Council, but the work had not been carried out by the end
of the year. Six other houses were voluntarily demolished prior
to definite action being taken by the Council.
Housing Act, 1936.—The appointed day for the coming
into operation of the overcrowding provisions of the Act was
fixed by the Minister of Health to be the 1st April, 1937, for sections
6 (2), 59, 60 and 64, and the 1st October, 1936, for section 62
of the Act. The effect of this latter section is to require that by
the 1st April, 1937, every rent book or similar document used
in relation to a working class dwelling must contain a prescribed
summary of certain provisions of the Act, and a statement of the
maximum number of persons who may occupy the dwelling without
causing it to be overcrowded. The work which devolved upon
the Local Authority under these provisions was considerable
as it was estimated that a further 12,000 working class dwellings
would have to be measured in order that certificates giving the
prescribed numbers could be issued to landlords. Temporary staff,
consisting of five measuring assistants and one clerk, were appointed
to carry out this work and at the end of the year 7,205 houses
had been measured and 2,163 certificates issued. The work was
practically completed by the end of March, 1937, when 12,615
houses had been measured, but only 5,710 certificates had been
applied for up to the middle of May. In addition to newspaper