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36
existed no practical means of dealing with areas of properties which
had outlived their usefulness for human habitation. Furthermore,
the increased industrialisation of the borough brought about an
influx of people from other areas to be near their place of work and
so placed further strain upon the already inadequate dwelling
accommodation and considerably increased the extent of overcrowding
in the borough.
The effect of the foregoing difficulties is perhaps best exemplified
by the fact that my predecessor, Dr. J. King Warry, "represented
'' an unhealthy area known as the Duncan Square Area as
far back as 1900, but no further action could be taken and, in fact,
it was not until after I had made a further "representation" in
1929 that the area was dealt with. Similar frustration was experienced
in connection with properties situated in Queen's Court,
which were first "represented" in 1905 but not cleared until further
"representation" was made in September, 1932, whilst closing
orders made in respect of 41 houses in Middlesex Wharf during
1918 were quashed at a Ministry of Health enquiry held on the
14th April, 1919.
Apart from those enumerated above, other factors militating
against a progressive improvement in housing conditions have
been the unfortunate conditions arising from two post-war periods
when, because of the shortage of housing accommodation, it became
necessary to preserve houses which otherwise would have been
demolished.
That there is a marked similarity between the conditions
prevailing after the 1914-1918 war and the 1939-1945 war is illustrated
by the following extracts from the Annual Reports for 1919,
1921 and 1946 although, of course, the destruction of property in
the latter war was far more extensive than in the earlier one.
My predecessor, in his Annual Report for 1919, replying to a
questionnaire on housing required by the Ministry of Health, gave
the following information:—
''Overcrowding Causes ?
Reduced building prior to and stoppage during war.
Difficulties in remedying unfitness ?
Scarcity and high prices of both material and labour.
Poverty of certain of the owners of property.''
Whilst in my Annual Report for 1921 I gave a list of the property
in the borough that was the cause of constant anxiety and then
stated:
"owing to the age of the houses, neglect during the War, and
the cost of carrying out repairs, much of the housing property
in the borough cannot recompense the owners for extensive
reconstruction.''