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71
Sewer Maintenance Treatments.
All sewers in the Borough were treated in June and December
1952.

HOUSING.
Of all the problems confronting the Sanitary Inspector's
Section of the Public Health Department at the present time none
is more important or indeed more difficult than that of securing
the maintenance in a habitable condition of existing housing
accommodation.
The maxim "A stitch in time saves nine" is very true when
applied to housing maintenance. Small items of disrepair, insignificant
in themselves, may, if neglected, be the forerunners of serious
dilapidation. Deterioration is rapid and progressive. In this respect,
owing to prevailing economic factors it is becoming increasingly
difficult for individual house owners to provide the necessary
stitch. The relation of present-day costs to restricted property
values has created a situation in which many good houses are falling
into disrepair owing to the inability of owners to meet the cost of
essential day-to-day maintenance. The situation is aggravated
owing to the occupation by more than one family of so many
houses originally designed and built to house only one family.
The consequent increased wear and tear accentuates deterioration
and the compulsory sharing of household amenities adds to the
discomfort of the occupants. Lack of privacy in the use of personal
washing and toilet facilities is particularly demoralising to the
adolescent.
By reason of its age much of the housing in Leyton falls short
of the accepted minimum standards which are now considered
necessary for the health and enjoyment of modern society. In
particular, groups of obsolescent properties, which, by virtue
of their type and condition, could well be dealt with by Housing
Act procedure and demolished, must of necessity be retained for