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26
SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS
It was necessary to apply to the Courts for abatement orders in
respect of six properties. In the case of five an order was granted; in
the sixth the work was completed before the date of the hearing.
Action under S. 9 of the Food and Drugs Act was taken in
respect of a nail in a loaf, glass in milk and soil in milk. Fines totalling
£25 were imposed.
Two cases were taken under S. 13 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938—
viz., a dirty bakehouse and a dirty kitchen of a cafe. Fines totalling £42
were imposed.
Four street traders were prosecuted for trading in the district without
being registered or for trading after the hours permitted by the Shops
Hours of Closing Act. Fines totalling £11 were imposed.
Two cases were taken where toys and day-old chicks were being given
to school children in exchange for rags. Five persons were involved in these
cases. Fines totalling £9 were imposed.
HOUSING
Repair of Houses.
During the year 46 statutory notices were served under S. 9 of the
Housing Act, 1936. In the case of 15 properties it was necessary to carry
out work in default of the owner; in five of these the notices had been
outstanding from 1949.
Two dwellings were reported for action under S. 11 of the Housing
Act, 1936, with a view to demolition orders being made. In another
property a closing order was made on some rooms.
Overcrowding.
On the 1st January, 1950, there were 383 cases of overcrowding.
During the year 141 new cases became known, but the overcrowding of
187 other houses was abated. The number of cases outstanding at the
end of the year was therefore 338.
The abatement of crowding of 75 houses was brought about by
families being rehoused by the Council, 71 in Council houses and 4 in
requisitioned property. 39 per cent. of the houses built by the Council
in 1950 were allotted to overcrowded families. This proportion is much
the same as that for the preceding years when the percentage ranged
from 30.4 to 39.2.
In most of the houses which were overcrowded at the end of the
year the crowding had been brought about by the natural increase of
the family (140 instances). In 110 the crowding was the result of married
children living in the same house as their parents; in 36 it was because
relatives had been taken in; in 20 it was due to the presence of lodgers
who were not relatives. In 32 houses the overcrowding was brought about
by accommodation being let so as to be overcrowded. Of the 52 houses
in these last two categories in only 6 had the overcrowding occurred since
January, 1950, when the Council gave publicity to the offences relating
to overcrowding as set out under the Housing Act, 1936.
The most disturbing aspect of the overcrowding in the district is that
it is being caused by the natural increase in the size of the family and by