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114
15,005 persons in 2,680 houses containing 12,520 rooms;
= 5.6 persons per house or not quite 1.2 persons per room.
Of these houses it was found that 272 were occupied by a
number of persons in excess of the two persons per room.
Although this standard is convenient for ascertaining serious
overcrowding, yet it must be appreciated that the conditions
prejudicial to health are dependent upon the size of the rooms
and the number of persons actually crowded into the room
especially for the purpose of sleeping. But it is invariably
the case that overcrowding in a room is associated with an
excessive number of persons in the house.
125. Unhealthy Areas. No areas have been represented
under Part 1 or 2 of the Housing Act of 1890, and no complaints
that areas were unhealthy have been made.
126. General and Miscellaneous. During the War, 3,436
houses (including 1,930 huts) were erected by the Government.
These are all still fully occupied. The houses are under the
control of the London County Council, who act as agents for
H.M. Office of Works; the hutments are still under the control
of the Office of Works. It has been found during the year
that the deterioration of the huts has slightly advanced, and
in consequence a certain amount of repairs is necessary. The
roofs and other exposed parts of the hutments are being
systematically treated with tar and the guttering is undergoing
an overhaul and repair. The keeping of fowls and animals
by the occupants is a fruitful source of complaint. These
fowls are sometimes kept in a dirty state, or in excessive number,
or in too close proximity to hutments, and in certain
cases have even been kept in the cavity under the hut. When
any of these circumstances are such as to be a nuisance, action
is taken by this Department and the nuisance abated. In
all cases where the chickens have been kept under the huts,
they have been removed.