55. The majority of the field staff are Area Officers in charge of blocks, each officer normally being responsible for two multi-storey blocks with their population of between four and five thousand people living in around 1,000 individual rooms. In all but the smallest estates an Area Officer who is designated as second-in-command assists the officer-in- charge with general administration. Another is responsible for stores, sanitation and the supervision of the labour force which cleans all blocks, streets and open spaces lying within the estate boundary. There is also another Area Officer in charge of rent collection, which is centralized in each estate.
56. The principal duty of the Area Officers in charge of multi-storey blocks is to see that the tenants observe the conditions of their tenancy cards. They must also note any changes in the composition of individual households which require action by senior staff; for instance, additions and deletions of family members, and any factors such as overcrowding or under-occupation which may necessitate the transfer of the family con- cerned to a room of more appropriate size. Another side of his work is to teach his tenants to observe simple rules of hygiene. He has sometimes to settle disputes, particularly between families which may have to share a room, or during times of water rationing. The department is increasingly aware of the need for good management and the Area Officers are required to take notice of any special circumstances or personal difficulties which can be resolved for tenants by the senior staff of the department.
57. Tenancy conditions have been mentioned in the preceding para- graph. These conditions are made as simple as possible, the most important being that the rent must be paid each month in advance on the rent day; that the tenant may not transfer his room to any other person or sublet any part of it; and that he must not allow his room to be used for any illegal purpose. Additional or special conditions are applied to shops and workshops, whilst restaurants, cafes and food shops have to comply with the conditions of an Urban Council licence.
58. If the conditions of the tenancy card are not observed, the staff give verbal warnings to be followed, if necessary, by preliminary and final warning letters. Usually these warnings are effective, but if no notice is taken of the final written warning it may be necessary to terminate the tenancy and to require the tenant and his family to vacate the premises. 128 tenancies had to be terminated during the year; 93 for non-payment of rent; 14 for unauthorized transfers; 2 for drug offences and 19 for miscellaneous reasons. The conditions of the tenancy card provide for cancellation as soon as the monthly rent is in arrears, but in fact very
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