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Notices (Form A) were served in each case, and the work
required done at five houses. South Cottages, and 6 and 7, Nile
Street were closed after Police Court proceedings, and the Nile
Street houses have been demolished at the instance of the owner.
Very considerable structural improvements were carried out at
6, High Street, and 3, Pelham Terrace.
14, Milward Street and 3d, George Street are still in hand.
No penalties were inflicted, but costs to the amount of
£2 3s. 6d. were paid by owners.
30. Unoccupied Houses and New Houses.—Owing to reduction
of work in the Royal Arsenal and trade depression, there
have been in recent years a large number of empty houses or
unoccupied rooms, as compared with previous years. For the
year ending 30th September, 1904, the unrated empties were 2.1
per cent. of total houses.
On the other hand, 560 new houses were passed for water
certificates in 1905 and 418 in 1904, and observation shows that
new houses are usually occupied as soon as they are completed.
This apparent anomaly is partly explained by the fact that the
great majority of the new houses are four or five-roomed
dwellings, or consist of two flats of separately contained three or
four-roomed tenements, whereas four-fifths of the empties in 1904
were rented over 10s. a week, a rent beyond the means of the
majority of the population. The general demand is for a small
separate house.
31. Council's North Woolwich Houses.—On the 1st April 21
of the Council's 25 houses were occupied ; 9 were vacated during
the year ending 31st March, 1906, and 10 re-let; 3 were unoccupied
on the latter date. The number of persons at present
housed is 73 adults and 34 children—total 107, or about 5 to a
house. For particulars as to rent and cubic space of these houses,
see last year's Annual Report, page 70.