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57
At the beginning of the year there were 6,159 underground rooms which
did not comply with the requirements of the Housing Act and the regulations
made thereunder. During the year Closing Orders were made in respect of
10 underground rooms and 15 were altered and made to comply with the
regulations, thus leaving 6,134 still to be dealt with.
Underground
Rooms.
The overcrowding survey revealed the fact that there were 7,632 families
living in overcrowded conditions. During the year, 848 applications for
housing accommodation were investigated; 674 of these were found to be
overcrowded and were referred to the London County Council. During the
year, 255 cases of overcrowding were abated as follows:—110 by the London
County Council as a result of orange forms, 64 by Slum Clearance, 47 cases
where persons themselves found other accommodation, and 37 cases where
owners were able to transfer their overcrowded tenants.
Overcrowding
The overcrowding survey also revealed the fact that there were 424
families which would be overcrowded within 2 years by reason of children
attaining the age of 1 or 10 years respectively. It will be seen from the above
that the position is practically unchanged. The chief difficulty in dealing
with overcrowding is the necessity of people to reside locally.
The solution to the whole housing problem—slum clearance, overcrowding
and underground rooms—is dependent on the ability of the responsible
authorities to provide alternative accommodation as defined by the Housing
Act: "A house suitable to the needs of the Occupier and his family as regards
proximity to place of work and otherwise and suitable in relation to his means."
I can only repeat the words of my predecessor, Dr. Ferguson: "The
problem is a vast one and the Borough Council are doing their best to deal
with a difficult situation. We can only hope that the London County Council
and the Government with their vast resources will use every endeavour to
deal with the problem in no uncertain manner." I fully realise the necessity
of rehousing the people in blocks of flats. Whilst the people generally are
pleased to move into the new flats, they do miss the back yard or garden
where the husband can have a little hobby or do a little handicraft, but the
mother misses it, particularly as a place where she could put her baby in the
open air in safety while she does her housework.
We must not forget that we are building for a generation almost and I
hope that it will be impressed upon Architects in designing the new flats to
make them homes in the strict sense of the word. Where possible, handicraft
rooms should be provided for the men in connection with every estate and I
feel sure that small special separate balconies for babies could be provided
for each flat at very little extra expense. The decided benefit of sleep in
the open air to the health of the babies has been proven time and again and
this, together with the convenience and happiness of the mother would amply
justify the provision of the extra amenity.
I earnestly hope that it may be found possible to provide this most
practical and inexpensive measure towards improving infant health in the
Borough. The lack of sunlight and sleep in the open air is the East End
infant's greatest handicap. With the modern tendency to house workingclass
families in tall blocks of flats, the likelihood of the infants' being taken
out into the open air in a pram becomes less and less.
154 dwellings were erected by the Council and occupied during the year.
191 dwellings were erected by and occupied by private enterprise.