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in my reports for previous years, with the exception that
this year an item has been included concerning action taken
in connection with overcrowding under the Housing Act,
1935.
1t will be recalled that in my report for 1935 1 referred
to the arrangements that were then in hand for a general
survey of the district so far as overcrowding was concerned.
This survey was carried out during 1936 and a report submitted
to the Minister of Health as required by the Act. 1t
is unnecessary in a report of this kind to reproduce all the
information obtained as the result of the survey, and 1 think
it is sufficient to say that the degree of overcrowding was
found to be very slight, being under 1% of the houses
visited. This, however, did not relieve the Local Authority
of its obligation to provide accommodation to abate overcrowding,
and proposals, in this connection, accordingly
were submitted to the Minister of Health.
1 should at this point, perhaps, mention that the survey
to which reference has just been made was national in
its application and was the beginning of a se'rious attempt
to relieve overcrowded conditions. The Housing Act contained
specific provisions for the abatement and prevention
of overcrowding, and included a standard by which overcrowding
could be measured. Previous to the passing of
the Housing Act, 1935 a standa'rd had not been provided.
Details of the cases of overcrowding will be found in
item 4 of the statistical tables.
Housing Statistics.
1. 1nspection of Dwelling—houses during the year:—
(1) (a) Total number of dwelling—houses inspected
for housing defects (under Public Health
or Housing Acts) 916
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose
1126
(2) (a) Number of dwelling—houses (included
under sub—head (1) above) which were
inspected and recorded under the
Housing Consolidated Regulations, 1925 236