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37
neglect in this important field of local government administration.
The 1939/45 War has produced the very same problems. Overcrowding
is rife, the slums in London areas extensive as ever and a
large section of the community is livingin grave insanitary conditions.
Who is to blame? Parliaments have provided adequate housing
legislation, local authorities have endeavoured to cope with the
ever increasing problems, education has inculcated far higher standards
of knowledge of hygiene and sanitation among the less fortunate
of mortals, and people are now far more enlightened as to their
public rights and duties.
The abundance of legislation to deal with dwellings let in
multiple occupation affords a reasonable means of dealing with the
grosser housing evils by the power to limit the number of occupants
and to require the provision of suitable and sufficient sanitary
amenities compatible with that limited number of occupants; even
to the extent of introducing management orders. But to what extent
are the authorities exercising these powers? Social and political
factors are of times a deterrent to satisfactory execution. To displace
families from even poor or unfit houses creates hardship and
the increased cost of re-housing imposes great burdens on local
rate-payers. But the law is compelling and must be enforced by the
local councils and if hardship is caused thereby, public opinion
will ultimately produce an amendment of the law.
llford will together with Wanstead and Woodford become a
Greater London Borough next year and therefore the problems concomitant
with London's housing will affect the new borough.
It is an essential part of the Public Health Inspectors duties
to investigate and report on the housing conditions in the district
and to enforce, as directed, the requirements of the Housing Acts
1957 to 1964, with particular reference to unfit properties and dwellings
let in multiple occupation, a duty they are trained to discharge
and which plays an ever increasing part in the promotion of satisfactory
environmental health conditions.
(i) WATER SUPPLY. — The district is served by the Metropolitan
Water Board and South Essex Waterworks Co. The subject of the water
supply of the Borough was dealt with at length in the Report for 1945.
Dr. E. Windle Taylor, Director of Water Examination of the Metropolitan
Water Board, has kindly supplied me with the following
Information.