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Brickwork of the first quality, in cement mortar, is used for all arches, front windows, kitchen fireplace, and chimney shaft. The exterior of the house walls is plastered with cement mortar one inch thick. A damp course of pitch and Stockholm tar is made six inches above the ground line, and air bricks are fixed so as to ventilate under the wooden floors. Stones and brickwork are laid in mortar, two parts lime to five of sand.

The kitchen floor is tiled with 9in. by 9in. black fireclay tiles, laid in fine mortar and grouted with cement. The hearths are 6ft. by 4ft., made of firebricks on edge. Partitions of 4 by 1 white deal, with studs, 2 bricks apart, and filled in with bricks on flat, are built up to the ceiling joists.

All timber is the best of its kind, free from saps, shakes, cracks, wavy edges, or large knots. Red pine is used for window frames and sashes, and second quality white deal for all other work, fixed with wrought iron or wire nails. The bedroom floors are boarded with inch flooring laid folding. The roofs are of slate in. thick, uniform in size and weight, tough and smooth, giving a clear ring when struck, and fixed upon sawn battens, 2in. by rin., with copper nails, so as to have four inches cover and five inches side over. Wall slates are bedded in fine mortar. Laths are fixed between the battens and the slates, full rendered with haired mortar. The rafters are 18 inches apart. Proper lead, top and step flashings are provided in all cases, with cement fillets over where necessary. The ridge tiles are of black fireclay. The ceilings are sheeted with prepared rebated sheeting, inch thick.

The doors are a full inch thick, ledged and braced, beaded and rebated to all openings. The window sills and door curbs are of chisel dressed limestone. The window frames have rebated and moulded sashes, glazed with best 16-oz. glass. A cupboard is provided in the

recess. All timber and iron work is painted three coats.

The interior of the house walls is plastered, and twice coated with whitewash and tallow. Fire-places have efficient flues, and are fitted with a fire machine and grate and a wrought-iron pot crane.

A manure pit is excavated, and the privy floor space is concreted four inches thick.

A fence, 4ft. 6in. high, of stones on edge is constructed round each plot. Wrought-iron gates are hung on a pair of piers, in cement mortar, and a passage is formed for a cart.

The houses are generally built by skilled workmen, whose wages would be from 30/- to 33/- per week.

The cost of erection is £150, and the rents vary from 1/3 to 1/6 per cottage per week, so that they are let for a sum which simply covers the interest on the cost of construction.

CHAPTER XII.

SMALL DWELLINGS ACQUISITION ACT, 1899. [PP. 63-71 APPENDIX.]

This Act empowers local authorities to advance money for enabling persons to acquire the ownership of small houses in which they reside.

Who are the Authorities for administering the Act.County Councils and County Borough Councils are the local authorities as a rule, but the Act can be adopted by the Council of any Borough, or Urban District, or Rural District, with a population of 10,000 and over, to the exclusion of any other authority. Councils whose districts contains less than 10,000 inhabitants may adopt the Act with the consent of the County Council, but not otherwise, unless so determined by the Local Government Board. [Sec. 9 (1) p. 66, App.]

Advances can only be made

(a) To residents or intending residents of the house to be bought. (b) To the extent of four-fifths of the market value, and not exceeding £300.

(c) For houses of the value of £400 and under.

(a) Where the value of the house is sufficient, the title clear, the sanitary condition good, and also the state of repair. (e) When the repayment of the advance has been duly secured by an instrument vesting the ownership in the local authority, subject to the right of redemption by the applicant. [Secs. 3 and 7, pp. 64-65, App.]

The Rate of Interest is not to exceed one half per cent. above the rate at which the local authority can borrow from the Public Works Loan Commissioners. (At present 3 per cent). The repayments may be spread over a period not exceeding 30 years, and they may be paid either weekly or at any periods not exceeding six months.

(a) by equal instalments of principal, or

(b) by an annuity of principal and interest combined.

Larger sums may be paid at any time after one months' notice, if

the purchasers so desire [sec. 1, p. 63, App.]

Conditions of Ownership.-Until the repayments have all been made the house is held under the following conditions:

(a) Punctual payment of interest and principal.

(b) The owner must be resident in the house.

(c) The house must be kept in good sanitary condition and repair, and satisfactorily insured.

(d) The house must not be used for the sale of intoxicating drinks, or in such a manner as to be a nuisance to adjacent houses.

(e) The local authority reserve a power of entry at all reasonable times to secure compliance with the foregoing conditions. [Sec. 3 (1) p. 64, App.]

A register must be kept giving full particulars as to advances and the houses in respect of which they are made. [Sec. 8, p. 66, App.]

The owner may transfer his interest, subject to the foregoing conditions. [Sec. 3 (2) p. 66, App.]

Full provision is made for taking possession of the house by the local authority, where the statutory conditions are not observed, and also for the sale of the house in certain emergencies. [Sec. 3 (3) (4) (5).]

The Expenses of the local authority not reimbursed by the receipts under the Act, must not, in any one year, exceed the proceeds of a penny rate. [Sec. 9 (4)].

The Borrowing Powers are those under secs. 233-244 of the Public Health Act, 1875, but money so borrowed is not to be reckoned as part of the debt of the Council, for the purpose of the limitation on borrowing under sec. 234 (2) [pp. 80-81, App.] [Sec. 9 (5) & (6), p. 67 App.]

Separate Accounts must be kept and all capital moneys received or retained by a local authority, must be applied in repayment of debt, or, as directed by the Local Government Board. [Sec. 9, p. 67, App.]

London Borough Councils may borrow as for the purposes of the Metropolis Management Acts, 1855 to 1898. [Sec. 9 (10), p. 67, App.]

Loans Sanctioned. The following statement of loans sanctioned under the Act, from the time of its passing up to the 10th of May, 1902, has been kindly supplied by the Local Government Board:

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The Town Council of Dublin also proposed to borrow £20,000. The above loans were the subject of no less than 31 separate applications and sanctions. There is room here for reform.

THE ILFORD SCHEME OF HOUSE PURCHASE.

Up to May, 1902, very few local authorities had adopted the Act, and only about £52,000 had been borrowed. This, however, has been largely owing to the fact that for the successful working of the Act some "go-between" is necessary, in the shape of an enterprising builder, company, or association, whose initiative and co-operation are of extreme usefulness in properly carrying out any extensive operations under the Act. Such co-operation is forthcoming in the Urban District of Ilford, Essex (pop. 41,240), where nearly half the inhabitants are owners of their houses, owing to a well-developed purchase system carried on for some years by private enterprise. Thanks to the voluntary efforts of the council and its officers, forwarded by lectures, discussions, letters in the local press, and pamphlets, a further step has been taken on municipal lines, and a very successful scheme of combined municipal, company, and individual enterprise has been working with great success, and has resulted in loans having been applied for under the Act to the extent of over £20,000.

It will, therefore, be of interest to other councils if some detailed account is given of the working of the Ilford scheme. The work is done by a special committee of the council, consisting of six members, assisted voluntarily by the clerk, surveyor, and accountant.

A pamphlet, entitled "How to purchase your own Houses," is issued by the Council, and runs as follows:

The Ilford Urban District Council is empowered under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act, 1899, to make advances by way of mortgage, for the purpose of enabling residents, or intending residents, in Ilford to acquire Freehold or Leasehold Houses on the following conditions:

The Council must be satisfied that the applicant resides, or intends to reside, in the house, and that it is in good repair and satisfactory sanitary condition.

The owner must continue to reside in the house, keep it in a substantial state of repair; he is not to use it for the sale of intoxicating liquors, or in such a manner as to be a nuisance to his neighbours.

The repayments of advances, which is a personal liability of the borrower, may be extended from one to twenty-one years, and must be made monthly, including Principal and Interest.

The rate of interest charged for advances will, until further notice, be 3 per cent. on the balance remaining unpaid, as shown in the printed table below.

The rate of interest charged is governed by the rate at which the Local Authority can at the time borrow from the Public Works Loan Commissioners, a margin of Ten Shillings per cent. being allowed in addition for administration expenses.

The sum advanced will not exceed four-fifths of the market value of the property, or £240 in the case of Leaseholds with more than 60 years unexpired, and £300 in the case of Freeholds, or Leaseholds with 99 years unexpired; nor can an advance be made for the purchase of any house worth more than £400, market value.

Repayments are due on the first Monday in the month. prompt payment of instalments.

The Council will require

The Council will advance, where necessary, a fractional part of £100, and the borrower may, at any of the usual quarter days, after one month's written notice, redeem the whole of the advance, or any part thereof, not being less than Ten Pounds, or a multiple of Ten Pounds.

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A preliminary fee of 10s. 6d. must be sent with the Application Form in all cases, and will be allowed for if the advance is completed.

Legal Charges.

The Solicitors shall investigate the title to all property proposed for mortgage, and report thereon to the Council.

If the property be accepted, he shall prepare all legal documents relating thereto, except where the purchaser is obliged to have all or any documents prepared by the Vendor's solicitor, in which case the whole of such documents must be examined and approved by the Solicitors to the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act Committee.

Scale of Legal Charges.

Investigation of Title, preparation and completion of Purchase Deed, in all cases, £2 25. od.

Preparation and completion of Mortgage Deed (including searches, parchment, and attendances when necessary), in all cases, £2 25. od.

In cases of large Estates, for Investigation of Title, etc., and Preparation of Mortgage Deed, etc., £3 3s. od. inclusive.

Registrations, where necessary, Stamps, Fees to Lessor's Solicitor, Search Fees, or other extra costs incurred, will be additional.

Release or Redemption in the form prescribed by the
Council

...

Transfer of Mortgage from one person to another
Transfer of Mortgage from Societies, etc.

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A Table will be annexed to each Mortgage Deed showing clearly the details as to repayment; the cost of which will be Five Shillings in each case where an advance is made.

All applications for advances must be made on the Official Forms supplied by the Council, and a Preliminary Fee of 10s. 6d. must accompany the application.

There are no entrance fees, and no fee is charged for commission or redemption. A charge of Is. will be made for Pass Books.

Forms of Application and further particulars may be obtained at the Urban Council Offices, Cranbrook Road, Ilford, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily, except on Saturdays.

The following is the form of application:—

SMALL DWELLINGS ACQUISITION ACT, 1899.

Sir,

No........

.1901.

I beg to forward for the consideration of the Council the following Particulars of Property as Security for an advance of £ Preliminary Survey Fee of 10s. 6d.

,

and I enclose the

I am,

Yours, etc.,

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