HOUSING IN LONDON
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—Mr. Orr's wise and experienced statement is especially timely when national economy is the only alternative to national ruin. With an Exchequer debt of £12 millions a year for houses already built since the War, it was found in July by the Inter-Departmental Committee on the Rent Restrictions Acts, that " the relatively small increase of ten per cent. has provided little or no surplus for overtaking the arrears in this class of accommodation "—viz., for working-class families who are not in a position to buy their own houses. As Mr. Orr has proved in North Kensington, much can be done by housing according to need, using new houses, at 15s. a week rental or less, for families that can afford them, and using the old houses, thus vacated, purchasing and reconditioning them if needs be, for families unable to afford the rental of new houses, built at post-War prices. The Rent Restrictions Acts must be amended at an early date, to prevent further decontrol and rise in rental of houses vacated in this class, so long as the shortage con- tinues. Subsidies should be limited to houses thus properly used for actual housing needs ; and with good personal manage- ment some variation of rent may be tried according to need, without increasing the total burden on public funds.
The Town and Country Planning Bill, with some amend- ment, is urgently required. Reconditioning and repair of houses should be pressed. Slum-clearances and replacements must be steadily pursued. Much improvement in the housing of those who urgently need it can be secured by such means with little addition to the huge cost, wantonly incurred on ill-directed or misapplied housing policy since the War. But we cannot afford to stand am, Sir, &c.,
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