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Sanitary Circumstances of the District. 31
The acreage of the area affected is 2 acres, 0 roods, 22 poles,
20 yards; the number of persons of the working classes who will
be displaced is 141; the approximate rents at present paid by such
are 5s. to lis. per week. Provision will be made by the erection of
16 cottages in the area proposed to be improved, for the accommodation
of 80 persons. The Council considered that the provision
of this accommodation will be sufficient in view of the number of
tenement houses now to be let within a radius of half mile of
the area.
GENERAL.
All property in the district is in private ownership, with the
exception of Alexandra Road, Mortlake, which is owned by the
District Council. There are about fifteen houses occupied as Almshouses
in the district.
There are many houses for the working classes in Mortlake
which are occupied by members of more than one family, the rents and
the houses being too large for one family. In some cases even, more
especially in Hampton Square and to a lesser degree in West Road,
single rooms are let out to separate families. In these roads there
have been some cases of overcrowding during the year, the tenants
being of the poorest class of the community. In Mortlake North
there is much old property which will require to be dealt with under
the Housing Acts.
The erection of all new houses is under the supervision of the
Surveyor's Department.
A continuous record is kept of each house erected from the
time the foundation is put in until completion.
Particular attention is paid to the drainage and sanitary fittings.
The drains are water tested during construction, and before
the certificate of fitness for habitation is granted, the drains are
finally tested with water, the soil pipes being smoke tested.