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73
Housing.
nature require much supervision. In some houses damage
is done by the action of unsatisfactory tenants and this then
leads to difficulties in getting essential work carried out.
It is sometimes difficult to keep overcrowded houses in good
condition as the wear and tear is greater.
A systematic supervision of the houses occupied by the
working classes is carried out by means of house-to-house
inspection. Many defects are discovered by this means
and the conditions remedied.
(c.) Water Supply.
In most of the houses in the Borough the water supply
is in the house and in only a small number is it situated in
the open air. About 98 per cent. have an independent supply.
(d.) Sanitary Accommodation.
All the houses in the Borough have water closet accommodation.
In about 2 per cent. of them this accommodation
is common to some other house.
5. Bye-laws.
The existing Bye-laws relating to houses let in lodgings
are adequate in most respects, but there are not sufficient
powers for dealing with dirty or unsatisfactory tenants.
Housing Act, 1930—Unhealthy Areas.
During the past year a definite start has been made in the
direction of clearing some of the insanitary areas in the Borough.
I have made representations under Section 1 of the Housing
Act, 1930, in respect of thirteen areas in the Borough to the effect
that the houses therein were either unfit for human habitation or
were dangerous to the health of the inhabitants in the areas and
that the most satisfactory method of dealing with the conditions
was the demolition of all the houses. Three of these representations
were made in 1930 and ten in the year now under review. All
these thirteen areas have now been declared as Clearance Areas
by the Council.