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Periodically a house-to-house visit is made in Asylum
Road, which is practically composed of houses let in
lodgings. This road was inspected during 1932, and
accounted for no less than 17 of the 32 new cases. Nine
others were discovered during housing inspections, leaving
six others in various situations.
It should be noted that the above figures relate to
separate families and not to houses. The number of houses
affected by the 32 cases was only 24.
Housing accommodation is not yet easily obtainable by
persons of small means, and accordingly statutory action to
abate overcrowding is only resorted to when all other means
have failed. By constantly revisiting overcrowded premises,
and not accepting overcrowding as an inevitable condition,
there is little doubt that this great evil can be regulated.
The completeness or otherwise of the " regulation " depends,
however, upon factors such as unemployment, wages,
etc., all of which are outside the control of the local
authority.
Among a certain class of tenant there is what one can
almost describe as a hereditary " herding " instinct. They
prefer to share accommodation with other families, and do
not desire structurally separate tenements. This characteristic
is a difficult one to understand, and most housing
reformers will deny its existence. The people themselves
will not openly acknowledge their preference for a communal
life, but they are often reluctant to leave their old surroundings
for more spacious premises, and still more often do not
make a success of the change. One has no desire to be
charged with pessimism, but after many years' experience
I am more convinced than ever that slums will not be
abolished by housing legislation alone. Education of the
inhabitants of these houses is necessary to produce the
desire for and the appreciation of better things.