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42
Housing conditions are improving as a result of the policy of
the Council, which is to re-house those people whose houses have
been closed as unfit, or found to be overcrowded. Up to the end of
the year the Council have built in all 541 houses for letting purposes.
At the same time, rapid progress has been made with building
houses for sale, the total number purchased during the year under
the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act was 1008, and the total
amount of loans under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act up to
the end of 1929 was £2,633,654.
The plight of a family with children in their search for accommodation
is still lamentable. They have only to mention the fact
that there are children, and the door is closed on. their enquiries.
There is a long list waiting for Council houses as they become
vacant.
In the meantime van dwellers increase and are becoming a great
difficulty in the district.
With respect to Van Dwellers, the time is rapidly approaching,
in my opinion, when the comparative immunity which this
class of population has secured must be reconsidered. I have yet
to meet the Medical Officer of Health who has had much to do
with this class of population, who does not regard them as an
unmitigated nuisance. True there is a certain proportion of the
better class who are law abiding citizens, but there is a considerable
number subversive of discipline, rowdy, threatening to those
who interfere with them, dirty in their habits, and generally undesirable
in. any district.
I am, as I said last year, constantly being appealed to to assist
in getting a "Council House." In almost every case the applicants
are decent working class families with their own furniture,
and in steady work, who can afford to pay a reasonable rent. Some
have offered up to 20/- per week. These, even if they can get