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52
The work of improving the lighting of the staircases of the tenement buildings
in the Borough in accordance with Section 61 of the London County Council (General
Powers) Act, 1927, was continued during the year, and in 15 instances alterations
have been carried out to meet the requirements of the Health Committee. At
the end of the year the lighting of these staircases was still unsatisfactory in one
instance.
The houses let in lodgings on the register at the end of the year numbered 296.
Of the 188 intimation notices relating to these houses 100 were complied with, and
in 88 cases a statutory notice became necessary.
Four applications were made under the Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restriction)
Acts, 1920-23, for certificates to the effect that dwellings were not in all respects
reasonably fit for habitation. All were granted.
From the point of view of health the housing conditions of the people of
Shoreditch constitute the most unsatisfactory feature in the life of the Borough.
As already stated the density of the population as a whole is 151 to the acre.
This, however, includes the relatively sparsely populated southern portion of the
Borough. In the Whitmore Ward, for example, the density of the population
is 210 to the acre. The density of dwelling houses over the whole Borough is in
the neighbourhood of 20 to the acre, but this figure also is considerably higher in
the residential areas.
Of the evils of overcrowding of which these figures are the statistical summary,
everything is known and little remains to be said. Neither the health of the body
nor the health of the mind can prosper under conditions of serious overcrowding.
In reporting cases of overcrowding to the Health Committee it has been the
practice to state the amount of cubic space available per head. This method, which
has the advantage of endeavouring to secure an adequate supply of fresh air,
nevertheless leaves out of account a most important aspect of the problem, and
one which may have quite as far reaching ill effects as those produced by living
and sleeping in badly ventilated rooms. Consideration of reports upon cases
of overcrowding has frequently made it apparent that the number of rooms at the
disposal of families including young girls and youths does not make it possible for the
sexes to have separate sleeping accommodation.
To turn from the evil to its remedy ; it has been reported on page 45 that out
of 227 cases of overcrowding brought to the notice of the Department 146 have
been remedied. The London County Council give preferential consideration for
accommodation on their housing estates to applicants who are recommended on
health grounds, and in cases of special hardship, and many cases of overcrowding
have been dealt with in this way.