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abatement- of rat nuisances was secured in 73 instances.
At the time of writing the outstanding infestations at the
year's end have been mostly cleared up.
From experience gained in dealing with rat infested
premises one realises the greater need for collective action
in the neighbourhood infested—without this, action by
individual "occupiers" lias almost negligible results.
VI.—HOUSING CONDITIONS.
The housing problem of Bromley is one peculiar to a
residential area in close proximity to London. The
provision of houses is thus one mainly for private
enterprise, with necessary restrictions, if one is to keep
the area residential. The Local Authority has already
provided approximately four per cent. of the total number
of dwelling houses in the area, and where industrial
development in the district is limited this should be
adequate, except in those cases where action is taken under
the Housing Acts for the re-housing of displaced tenants.
The function of the Local Authority, in so far as housing'
is concerned with the public health, must therefore be
restricted to the supervision of the erection of new
dwellings, and inspecting from time to time inhabited
dwellings so that they may be maintained in a state of
repair and provided with the essentials that make for a
healthy environment.
We are nevertheless limited in the power to render
houses fit for habitation to a standard in accordance with
modern ideas. It is somewhat astounding that even in
1934 so many houses are allowed to be without proper
bathing accommodation, and that new houses should be
erected without the provision of proper clothes washing
accommodation, and in some cases of coal cooking
facilities. This latter may be advantageous from the
smoke nuisance viewpoint, but it certainly has its
economic disadvantage to the tenant. There is too, some
evidence that there is an endeavour to relax the new
building bye-laws in order to facilitate the erection of new
dwellings. One fears with this relaxation that the new