View report page

76
31. Unoccupied Houses and New Houses. Owing to the
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.
In March, 1908, 278 houses were found unoccupied out of 3,521
in St. Nicholas Ward, or about eight per cent.
224 new houses were passed for water certificates in 1907.
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. The general demand is for a small
separate house.
32. Council's North Woolwich Houses. All the Council's 25
houses were occupied throughout the year, with the exception
of one which was vacant two weeks. Two houses changed
occupiers. The number of persons at present housed is 129, or
about 5 to a house. For particulars as to rent and cubic space
of these houses, see Annual Report, 1904, page 70.
33. Houses Registered under the By-laws. At the commencement
of the year, 307 houses were on the register; 29 were
newly registered and 4 taken off the register, leaving 332 on the
register at the close of the year, compared with 123, 235, 265,
and 307 in each of the four preceding years.
34. These houses were inspected, some quarterly, and others
half-yearly. 758 inspections were made in all, and 263 intimations,
and 74 statutory notices were served.
Proceedings were taken for breach of by-laws at four houses;
fines of 2s. to 20s. were inflicted.
35. The registered houses were under the care of Miss
Middlebrooke, and further particulars will be found in the report
of her work given further on.