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16
SANITARY CONDITION OF WORKING CLASS
HOUSES IN THE DISTRICT.
For the past five years owing to circumstances
brought about by war conditions, many houses have
been unavoidably allowed to fall into a more or less defective
sanitary state. The general character of the
defects still existing are dilapidations due to neglect of
periodical repair and cleansing- during these yearsThey
may be summarised as follows :—
(1) Broken and defective yard surfaces, allowing
water to stand, and preventing proper cleansing.
(2) Defective roofing, rainwater pipes, and gutters,
causing dampness.
(3) Defective pointing- of outside walls, causing
dampness.
(4) Defective damp-proof courses.
(5) Defective internal plaster (walls and ceilings),
and dirty or loose wall papers.
(6) Broken and cracked floor boards, and defective
hearths.
(7) Stairs in bad repair, broken handrails and balusters.
(8) Imperfect windows allowing rain to enter, and
not allowing of free opening.
(9) Broken or defective grates or ranges.
A list of these defective houses is available. They
are situate for the most part in Shelley, Milton, Wordsworth,
and Burns Roads, Ferndale Terrace, Cecil,
Canning and Herga Roads, and parts of Peel Road
contiguous to the High Street. I beg strongly to advise
that a crusade be at once started to get these premises
put into decent sanitary condition. Practically all the
work can be done without closing- the premises, a course
rendered impossible by the present ovrcrowded state of
the district. I would suggest that the work be undertaken
systematically, the houses being dealt with by
groups, and use made of the additional power conferred
on Local Authorities by the Housing and Town Planning
Act 1919.