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THE  HOUSING  QUESTION

(c)  Any  superiority  in  the  condition  or  amenity  of
the  houses  to  be  let  by  them  under  the  assisted
scheme,  or  in  the  accommodation  provided
therein;  and
(d)  The  classes  of  tenants  in  the  district  for  whom
the  houses  are  provided.
It  is  further  provided  in  the  same  Regulations  that,
if  the  Minister  of  Health  considers  the  rents  fixed  by
the  Local  Authority  too  low,  he  may  appeal  to  an
Independent  Tribunal,  whose  decision  is  final.
This  Tribunal  consists  of  two  representatives  of  the
Minister,  two  of  the  representative  bodies  of  Local
Authorities,  and  a  Chairman  elected  by  the  first  four.
It  is  obvious  to  anyone  who  reads  these  regulations
that  the  meaning  of  them  is  that  the  rents  shall  be  such
as  the  local  working-classes  can  afford  to  pay.  This
view  has  been  taken  by  the  Tribunal  each  time  a  case
has  been  referrred  to  them,  and  it  may  be  added  that
in  nearly  every  case  the  Local  Authority  has  won  and
the  Minister  has  lost.  It  is  further  the  case  that,  where
the  rent  arrived  at  by  («),  (6),  and  (c)  exceeds  that
required  by  {d),  the  latter  and  lower  rent  is  the  one  to
be  fixed.
More  than  this,  Local  Authorities  are  fully  entitled
to  lower  rents,  previously  fixed  by  them,  if  the  dwindling
wages  of  the  tenants  render  such  a  course  equitable.
This  has  been  done  by  several  Authorities.
Where  Local  Authorities  have  fixed  the  rent  at  such
a  level  that  the  working  classes  cannot  pay,  it  can  only
be  because,  either  they  do  not  know  the  regulations.