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27
Building Operations were further restricted during the year
and only five plans concerning re-drainage were submitted and
approved.
Overcrowding. Numerous instances came under the notice of
the department, but with the existing shortage of houses it was felt
that little could be done to obviate the evil until a sufficient number of
houses was provided to accommodate the people dehoused. In nine
cases where the overcrowding was serious, repeated efforts were
successful in finding other accommodation, but in several instances the
people had to go outside the Borough.
Cleansing and Disinfecting Station.
Number of premises disinfected ... ... ... 1492
Number of rooms disinfected ... ... ... ... 1745
Bedding, clothing, etc., disinfected ... ... ... 5912
Verminous clothing disinfected ... ... ... 5086
Number of Baths administered ... ... ... 2178
Mortuary and Coroner's Court.
Number of Bodies received ... ... ... ... 118
Number of Inquests held ... ... ... ... 104
Number of Post Mortem Examinations ... ... 73
HOUSING.
This question came prominently before the Committee during the
year. With the exception of a small area (about 2\ acres) in the
Brockley district, there is no available land in Deptford suitable for
building purposes. Any extension will require to be outside the
Borough boundaries. With this object in view, the London County
Council, who have been constituted the Housing Authority for Greater
London, are arranging a Conference with the neighbouring boroughs.
New houses can only be built in Deptford by demolishing the old
insanitary properties which exist in certain parts of the East and SouthEast
Wards. These buildings are well known, to the Committee and
would have already been dealt with but for the war and the shortage of
houses which renders the problem of finding accommodation for the
people to be dehoused very difficult.
Whatever scheme is adopted in Deptford there is a great opportunity
before the Council of building model houses fulfilling modern requirements.
Flats and tenements will not solve the housing problem.