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the increased cost of building materials, and the difficulty
of obtaining street-making material; and in time,
no doubt, the houses will be erected. I have inspected
the Council's cottages on the Rathbone Estate,
and reported fully on the matter. The houses in
the Avenue district have been greatly improved during
the year. With regard to the two wooden houses on the
Great North Road, the Council found it necessary to
make a demolition order. The owner appealed to the
Local Government Board, and an enquiry was held. The
Board confirmed the demolition order, and the Council
have taken the necessary steps to evict the tenants; up to
the end of the year, however, the houses were still
standing, and occupied by the same tenants as before
the closing order was made.
Two houses have been reported upon as being unfit
for human habitation, a representation was not necessary,
as in each case the owner has voluntarily closed the
premises.
The late very wet winter has caused many houses
to become damp, and complaints have been received
respecting them. The nuisance arises from the fact
that solid brick walls will not keep out rain, and especially
so when such walls are flank walls facing between
N. and S. westerly. Even when the walls have been
rendered in cement they are not damp-proof to a driving
rain, and it would be well for the Council to make
provision in the building bye-laws for such external walls
to be constructed as "cavity walls." The nuisance is
not confined to the old houses in the district, several
houses only a few years old have been affected.
Acting on suggestions from the Local Government
Board, all the basement and semi-basement dwelling
houses have been inspected, with a view to ascertaining
to what extent these rooms have been used as sleeping
places. 1 have reported fully on the matter, and it has
heen decided not to make regulations at present, as
the evil does not exist to any appreciable extent, and
where such rooms are occupied, the Council can use their
powers to make a closing order, should the necessity
arise.