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61
dwelling of to-day will not meet the standard of fitness
required some twenty years hence.
Inspection of District.
One thousand one hundred and twenty dwelling
houses were inspected, calling for 5,916 inspections. Of
these houses 9(50 were found not to be in all respects
reasonably fit for habitation, the case of disrepair being in
many instances extensive. This re-conditioning of houses
is a matter of vast importance when considering the
housing question, and is not to be overlooked in the
publicity given to the re-liousing of slum areas. Neglect
of house repairs (and it is not every landlord who realises
liis responsibility) soon makes the house irrepairable and
only fit for demolition. Particulars of defects are given
in the Appendix.
Housing Acts, 1925-1930.
In the taking over of the added area certain houses
were added to the schedule of unfit houses not repairable
at reasonable cost, and, as we are shortly to have a new
Housing Act dealing with overcrowding and calling for
a survey of the area as a whole, with probably new
responsibilities as a Local Authority, it is at this stage
important to report progress under the old Acts.
In the year 1933 eleven houses were closed as unfit;
seven in Hookers Place which remain uninhabited, and
will, I hope, shortly be demolished by the owner; four
in Widmore Road which were demolished. A further
four houses in Gravel Pits were re-conditioned, fitting
them for aired counles.
In the year 1934 an additional
2!) houses came into the schedule of unfit houses, and the
following summary gives the total of houses concerned,
the number vacated at the end of the year, and the
number of tenants left in occupation and requiring
accommodation by the Local Authority should it be
necessary to take formal action for demolition under the
Housing Acts,