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tenants liable to eviction would tend to conceal unhealthy conditions, would not
complain, or might even resent visits from a Sanitary Inspector from fear of
eviction.
It has been demonstrated on so many occasions that it is not true that people
like living under slum conditions and would speedily reduce any new dwellings into
slums, that this slander is now largely abandoned. It is true many municipal
dwellings were rendered verminous by the new tenants when their belongings were
removed from verminous premises without disinfestation. It is perhaps not
generally known that the majority if not all the houses in most clearance areas are
not only verminous, but cannot be freed from vermin, since the only certain method,
cyanide gas, is too dangerous for use in such circumstances. Theoretically bugs can
be cleared from dwellings and the presence of bugs is accordingly not mentioned as
a ground of clearance, but as a matter of fact, in the Abbott Street Area for instance,
the best efforts of the owners, the tenants who in many oases suffered very considerably
from this cause, and the Public Health Department entirely failed to do more than
alleviate conditions for short periods.
Not only are tenants now installed in their municipal homes vermin free, but
are assisted to remain in that condition, are informed of the dangers of purchasing
cheap second-hand furniture, or exchanging articles of furniture, and are given
further help when necessary.
DETAILS OF CLEARANCE AREAS.
In addition to the Areas represented by me and taken over by the London
County Council, I have since 1930, represented to the Borough Council forty-eight
Clearance Areas, comprising 907 buildings, housing 4,382 residents.
At the end of 1936, 277 buildings in 16 Clearance Areas have been demolished,
and 1421 residents from these re-housed in new flats erected by the Borough Council.
Clearance Orders as regards 27 areas (477 houses) have been confirmed by the Ministry
of Health.
Six Clearance Areas have been allocated for the re-housing of residents from
Clearance Areas and include Banister Street Areas Nos. 1 and 2; Nisbet Street Area
and Shacklewell Lane Area; Hindle Street Area; and High Street (Homerton) Area
No. 1, upon which a Public Inquiry is pending. Confirmations from the Ministry
of Health have been received in respect of the first five mentioned Areas.
Surveys of all buildings in Clearance Areas dealt with by the Borough Council
are "made and plans are prepared entirely by the staff of the Public Health Department.
This entails a great amount of detailed enquiry and inspection, and to the
end of 1936, 2,354 original prints and plans have been prepared for use with my
Representations and Clearance Orders, which includes 264 original surveys and
plans of the Clearance Areas and Clearance Orders made by this Council.
In addition, detailed general evidence must be prepared for use at the Public
Inquiries, at which I have to attend and give evidence supporting my previous
representations.
1930 and 1935 Clearance Area Programmes.
List of Clearance Areas Included in the Council's Clearance Programme, 1930.
Photographs of these Areas appeared in the 1930 report:—
Banister Street Nos. 1 and 2 Areas.
Abbott Street Area.
Elsdale Street Area.
Otley Terrace Area.
Queen's Court Area.