Rent for the houses. Tenants for the houses. (b) the parlour types, consisting of a parlour, livingroom, scullery, and bedrooms. Most of the houses contain three bedrooms. The parlour type includes a considerable number of houses with four bedrooms. The question of the rent to be charged by local authorities for the new houses has been the subject of much discussion. House rents are now at an artificially low level because of the Rents Restriction legislation. Dr. Addison has clearly stated that higher rents will have to be charged initially, and that increases will have to be imposed, year by year, until an economic rent is reached. The State subsidy is intended to help to cover some of the difference between the present cost of building and the normal. It is not the intention of the Government to subsidise rents permanently. On 1st June 1920, the average officially approved rent of the new houses was 12s. 3d. per week, exclusive of rates. were under 6s., and 1.5 per cent. over 20s. 1.5 per cent. The Increase not apply to of Rent, &c. (Restrictions) Act, 1920, does The Leeds Corporation have decided that the tenants shall be chosen in the following order :-(1) Men who have served in H.M. Forces, wives and mothers of men serving, or widows or mothers and children of deceased soldiers or sailors; (2) families who have outgrown their accommodation or are residing in apartments; (3) newly-married couples not at present occupying houses; (4) persons under notice to quit owing to property having been sold; (5) former Leeds residents who have had to give up houses during the war (other than service or ex-service men); (6) persons living out of Leeds, but employed within the city; (7) people desiring a change; and (8) people desiring to live in the city but now residing outside. Other local authorities have adopted similar rules. The local authorities choose the tenants and fix the rents, but the latter are subject to the approval of the Minister, or in the absence of such approval to settlement by an impartial tribunal. may sell bought or A local authority may, with the consent of the Local Ministry, lease or sell any land or houses bought or erected authorities by them, and may agree to the price being paid by houses instalments or to the payment of part of the price being erected by secured by mortgage of the premises, but any house them. so leased or sold may not be used by any person having an interest in it to house his employees. Having regard to any condition imposed, the best price or rent must be obtained (section 15, 1919 Act). Full information on this subject is given in General Housing Memoranda, Nos. 27 and 33. Dwellings Act. Under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act, 1899, Loans under as amended (see page 241), a local authority may lend the Small money to any person resident in the district to assist Acquisition him to buy the house in which he lives or intends to live. They may lend on houses up to the value of £800 each; and the amount which may be lent may be 85 per cent. of the value. The rate of interest and the terms of repayment of the loan are, subject to certain conditions, a matter for agreement between the local authority and the borrower. CONVERSION OF HOUSES INTO FLATS With a view to enabling local authorities to obtain an immediate increase in the amount of accommodation available to relieve overcrowding, powers were conferred upon them by the 1919 Act to acquire houses themselves and convert them into flats (section 12, page 394), and to lend money to owners desirous of undertaking the conversion (section 22). The Act also assists in the modification of restrictive covenants by enabling Temporary housing accommodation by army huts or hostels. the county court, upon an application from the local authority or lessee, to make an Order varying the terms of the lease so as to permit of conversion (section 27, see page 429). On 15th September 1919 the Ministry of Health issued General Housing Memorandum No. 5, stating that they had under consideration measures to secure the early provision of housing accommodation in places where the immediate needs were acute. After referring to the possibilities of converting large houses into workingclass flats, the Ministry said the conversion of huts or hostels into temporary houses was another way in which such accommodation could be provided. They notified the arrangements to facilitate the action of local authorities in this direction. The Ministry were prepared to consider proposals from a local authority for the provision of temporary accommodation, whether by the use of army huts or State-owned hostels, and, if they approved, the proposals would be regarded as part of the local authority's housing scheme under section 1 of the Housing, Town Planning, &c., Act, 1919, and rank for financial assistance accordingly. Where necessary, the Ministry were prepared to sanction loans for the acquisition and adaptation of huts and hostels for housing purposes. The periods for which such loans would be sanctioned were, of course, shorter than those applicable to permanent houses, the maximum being fixed at fifteen years. Speaking of the results of this policy Dr. Addison said, in the House of Commons on 13th December 1919, that up to that date 1,621 huts and 26 hostels had been taken over by local authorities, and in addition 631 huts had been offered to such authorities. The huts would provide accommodation for 3,217 families, and the hostels for 536 families. 88 local authorities had applied for such buildings. The provisions which cover the subject of these huts are contained in section 25 of the 1919 Act, page 419. No huts can be converted after 31st July 1922 if they would transgress the local building by-laws. assistance to local -the State grant. Section 7 of the 1919 Act provides for a grant out Financial of moneys provided by Parliament being paid to local authorities towards the loss resulting from schemes involv- authorities ing the provision of houses for the working classes. Towards making good this loss the local authority have to find the product of a ld. rate, and the State finds the remainder, subject to conditions. The conditions and the machinery for arriving at the figures are given in the Local Authorities' (Assisted Housing Schemes) Regulations, 1919, printed on page 537, which constitute the second attempt to deal with this difficult subject. The conditions are discussed in General Housing Memos. Nos. 8 and 18. As to accountancy matters, see the Housing Accounts Order (Local Authorities), 1920 (page 550). CHAPTER III THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES: UNFIT HOUSES AND UNHEALTHY AREAS As already explained, the primary purpose of the Housing Acts prior to 1919 was public health, principally slum clearances (Part I Unhealthy Areas; Part II Unhealthy Dwelling-houses). The local authorities for this purpose (First Schedule 1890 Act) are : For Parts I and II: Borough Councils. Urban District Councils. The Common Council of the City of London. For Part II: The Metropolitan Borough Councils. Rural District Councils. That is, Rural District Councils and the Metropolitan Borough Councils have no Part I powers. The London County Council do not usually exercise Part II powers, but may contribute or may be required by the Minister of Health to contribute towards the expenses incurred under a Part II scheme by a Metropolitan Borough Council; or if the London County Council carry out a Part II scheme the Metropolitan Borough Council concerned may, or may be required to, contribute to the expenses (section 46 of 1890 Act, section 14 of the 1903 Act, and section 33 of the 1909 Act). The problem of the Housing Acts prior to 1919 was almost solely connected with public health (though in |