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46
The overcrowded houses have been revisited from time
to time in order to keep before the tenants the need for
abatement of the improper conditions.
The border-line cases discovered at the time of the
original survey were also revisited in order to keep the
records of overcrowding up-to-date. It has been found
that many of the potential cases of overcrowding did not
develop, so as to require action by the Corporation, the
tenants themselves having made necessary arrangements to
meet altered conditions.
The Housing Act also requires an owner of a working
class house to insert in the rent book certain particulars,
including the permitted number of occupants for the house.
The permitted number is ascertained by measurement of the
rooms, in accordance with the prescribed schedule to the
Act. Up to the 31st December, 1937, 1979 certificates of
permitted numbers had been issued to owners. It was
necessary to engage temporary labour at the beginning of
the year to assist in measuring the houses.
WELL WATERS
The close surveillance over private water supplies
derived from wells has been maintained. Chemical analyses
of representative samples were made, and the results showed
that the waters in each case were usable.
Having regard, however, to the possibility of bacteriological
contamination, which might not be disclosed by the
ordinary analysis, arrangements were made at the end of
the year for a series of samples to be taken for bacteriological
examination. The results of these examinations
show that in each case the waters are usable, and in the
majority of cases the bacteriological counts are remarkably
low, with entire absence of harmful organisms.