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69
Overcrowding. From the paragraph dealing with the
shortage of houses it is easily deduced that much overcrowding
exists in the Borough, and that this is more than it was a
decade ago. This increased overcrowding is a legacy of the
war; the influx of the number of munition workers required
led to overcrowding of the dwellings at the time, and it is the
remnants of these conditions which now exist. During the
year nearly 400 cases of overcrowding were discovered, but
it was only possible to remedy 16. The glaring cases which
are sometimes described are rare, but when they do exist
the solution is unfortunately difficult. When any. serious
case of overcrowding comes to the knowledge of the Department,
consideration is given to all the circumstances of the
case and recommendations are sometimes made to the Allocation
Sub-Committee of the Housing Committee, who may
allocate a house or may recommend the case to the London
County Council for accommodation on one of their estates.
In all other instances every endeavour is made to secure a
more equitable re-distribution of the persons in the house in
which overcrowding exists, either by the provision of additional
room for a sub-tenant, or by the use of a living room
as a bed room.
Fitness of Houses. General Standard of Housing in the
Area. Most of the houses in Woolwich have been built in
the last 30 or 40 years, and have come under the provisions
of the London Building Acts. Most of them have a reasonable
open space at the back ; they are rarely more than two storeys
high, except in the older parts of the town, and they are
maintained in a reasonable state of repair. In the main they
are occupied by members of the working classes. Over 30
per cent, of the houses are occupied by owner-occupiers—
particularly in Plumstead and Eltham—and the policy of
the Council with regard to the Small Dwellings Acquisition