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42
Prevalent Defects in Housing.
A reference to the Housing defects (Appendix VIII.)
submitted by Mr. G. R. Woods and the Inspectors,
indicates the predominating defects to be: \inpaved
yards, drinking water from cisterns, want of ventilated
food stores, worn stone sinks, dampness due to porosity
of bricks, absence of, or perished damp-proof courses.
With regard to the repair of houses, very little
difficulty is experienced with owners of property. There
were no police court proceedings to enforce any work to
be done. Co-operation between the owners, agents,
tenants and inspectors is encouraged with the result that
the work necessary is amicably carried out.
Housing Let in Lodgings.
There are no Bye-laws for Houses Let in Lodgings,
and in fact one would find difficulty in working such
Bye-laws when faced with the present national conditions.
The letting of houses to more than one family
where domestic provisions exist for one family only must
lead to trouble, and to a bad environment for growing
children. No difficulty has been encountered under the
Bye-laws affecting Tents, Vans and Sheds.
VII— SMOKE POLLUTION.
Five routine visits and observations were made, but
no nuisances under the Public Health (Smoke Abatement)
Act, 1926, were observed.
VIII.—SHOPS ACTS.
Four hundred and thirty-four visits were made under
these Acts, 22 contraventions were reported which related
to the failure to display notices with reference to
assistants' half-holidays, and the hours of employment
of assistants under the age of 18 years. The shop-keepers
in question provided the necessary forms forthwith.
The district is periodically patrolled during the
week-day and Sunday evenings. In the main, shopkeepers
comply with the provisions of the Shops Acts,
and no legal action was found necessary during the year
1931.