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with temperature control by means of thermostats. Drying
machines, operated by a single push-button control, are also provided,
and special interlocking devices make them simple and safe
to operate.
These estates also have electrically operated goods lifts and
pram and cycle sheds.
Community halls are provided at Nisbet House and Hindle
House. These are electrically heated and ventilated, and are fitted
with a stage, retiring room and cloakrooms.
OVERCROWDING.
At the end of 1937 no less than 2,186 overcrowded dwellings,
housing 11,020 persons, still remained on the overcrowding register
in the Public Health Department, and during 1938 a further 143
overcrowded dwellings, housing 699 persons, were recorded.
During the year overcrowding was known by the Public Health
Department to have been abated by 745 families, totalling 3,421
persons. There remained, therefore, 1,584 dwellings with a population
of 8,298 persons in which overcrowding still existed at the
end of the year, so far as is known in the absence of any system
of notification of removal to privately owned dwellings, such as
exists in the case of Borough Council and County Council dwellings.
Considerable progress has been made since the close of the year
in the removal of these overcrowded families to Borough Council
flats.
For several years past the Public Health Department has
received information both from the London County Council's and
the Borough Council's Housing Departments of families about to
be removed to municipal dwellings. In every such case, whether
or not the family to be removed was leaving an overcrowded
dwelling, a Sanitary Inspector has called and secured the name
and address of the person responsible for re-letting the house or
apartment about to be vacated, and a letter has been addressed to
that person warning him against re-letting so as to cause overcrowding.
Despite this precaution overcrowding was permitted in
one case during the year by the person having control of property.
This dwelling consisted of basement front and back rooms, the
"permitted number" of occupants being 3. The original overcrowding
of the dwelling took place before the appointed day and
was abated by the transfer of the family to a flat on the County
Council's Northwold Road Estate on 12th November, 1937. A