SIR,—Your article in the Spectator of May 21st on Mr.
Horsfall's Report on housing conditions in Manchester leads me to describe one aspect of the conditions in Birmingham.
A member of the Birmingham City Council Housing Committee, a strong supporter of the present Government, informed me some time ago that in those particular small areas where the number of licensed houses had, by the Joint Committee of Magistrates and Brewers, been reduced by one half,* there was already a great improvement in the way the people lived ; their houses were cleaner, and more sanitary in every respect. It is the fashion with some people nowadays to call Temperance reformers fanatics, but I presume this term would not be applied to a supporter of the present Government. However, in order to check my colleague's view, I have made personal inquiries when
• The Birmingham surrender scheme acted as follows :—An area was selected and all the licensed houses on that area valued. It was then deter- mined which houses should be surrendered, and the owners of these houses received compensation from the owners of the houses that remained. Com- pensation was in reality, and not merely in name, provided by the " trade " itself, and the principle of betterment was observed. For full particulars see Mr. Arthur Chamberlain's pamphlet, published by Cornish Bros., Limited, 87 New Street, Birmingluim.
• visiting the houses represented to the Housing Committee as unfit for human habitation. These houses are, of course, before being repaired under our direction, all bad and quite unfit to live in, yet in some cases an attempt had been made to keep them as clean as possible, and the children showed signs of care and attention ; whereas in others, unfortunately a majority, the tenants neither troubled to look after the cleanliness and com- fort of their homes, nor the education and welfare of their children. Excessive drinking was generally found to be the cause of this neglect.
One case in particular struck me very forcibly. An owner was called upon by the Housing Committee to spend a large amount of money on two courts. He did everything that was required, yet now, six or twelve months afterwards, the tenants have made the houses almost as dirty as ever, and this is in no way due to the way iu which the repairs were done. There is in this neighbourhood a large excess of public-houses beyond what are required for a reasonable supply of drink to the inhabitants.
My own personal experiences on the top of continually corrobo- rated evidence from other alum workers have driven me to the conclusion that diminishing temptation to drink, by a reduction in the number of licensed houses, leaving only a sufficient number of public-houses to supply the legitimate wants of the neighbour- hood, would help very much in the solution of the housing problem. This opinion is supported by the fact that in several instances I have seen the money expended by landlords on im- proving their property wasted by the neglectful habits of the tenants, caused through the excessive drinking facilities of the neighbourhood. On the other hand, where opportunity for, and temptation to, excessive drinking were less obtrusive, the im- provements made by the landlords have been -appreciated by the tenants.
The brewers would not be human if their views were not biassed by the effect on their profits of any reduction in the consumption of drink. To put it in the graphic words of a local brewer not unknown in philanthropic circles, "the Birmingham surrender scheme had to be stopped because it was reducing the consumption of drink." But politicians shoula listen to those labouring in the slums rather than to those pecuniarily interested, and if only they themselves spent a little time in the slums they would learn a great deal more than some of them appear to know at present concerning the drink question.
Several supporters of the Government Licensing Bill now before Parliament have expressed their disbelief in the efficacy of reducing the number of licenses, from which it appears to many impartial observers that the Bill is intended by its authors to retard rather than expedite an urgently required reform; but that is outside the scope of this letter. I am only concerned to show that the reduction of public-houses has greatly assisted the solu- tion of the housing problem in Birmingham ; and further, that so long as the evil of excessive drinking exists, so long will the labours of social reformers, philanthropists, local authorities, and property owners to solve the housing problem be largely thrown away.
—I am, Sir, &c., ..TORN S. NETTLEFOLD,
Chairman of the Birmingham City Council Housing Committee.
ENGLAND AND GERMANY. [To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
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