View report page

10
to the Local Authority to enable that Authority to contend with the problem
which is certain to arise. It might be urged that any such policy would
effect violent changes in ground values, but such changes would require to
be widespread and productive of great hardship to prove a valid contrary
argument.
Greatly increased powers to Local Authorities to control the use to which
land is put within their areas seems to me, therefore, one of the essential requirements
if future housing difficulties are to be limited.
the housing problem in the city.
Although the number of houses in the City is small the position is not free
from difficulty. With the exception of a few more modern block dwellings practically
none of the older houses may be expected to have more than a few years of
existence. Some of these are already far from satisfactory and one group of about
150, which comprise what is known as the Hutchison Street Area, has already
been scheduled for acquirement by the Corporation. Many of the remaining
smaller groups of houses will have to be dealt with at no distant date. For the
present, these may not be demolished without the consent of the Corporation,
and here I venture the opinion that but for this restriction, increasing knowledge
of the effect of Section 9 of the Housing, Town Planning, &c., Act of 1919, would
have resulted in these properties being demolished in the near future and the sites
sold for business purposes. Section 9 contains the provision as to the assessment
of compensation in respect of schemes promoted by local authorities to deal with
insanitary areas. The section is difficult to understand, but it appears that the
compensation to be paid differs according to the decision whether the cleared
land shall be used for the erection of dwellings or for the erection of business
premises, the lesser amount being paid in the former instance. As I have
suggested, this differential assessment will tend to make owners of doubtful
property sell the sites as business sites, rather than wait for local authorities
to take action.
A further problem arises in respect of the Hutchison Street Area. In submitting
the proposal to the Ministry of Health for the acquisition of the area, the
Corporation pointed out that even if the Ministry of Health approved the representation
of the Medical Officer of Health that this area was an insanitary
area, and ought to be acquired it would be an impossible policy to proceed forthwith
to demolish the houses and clear the site. On the other hand if this difficulty
were to prevent the Corporation proceeding with the scheme it would necessitate
the insanitary conditions being dealt with by notice (and perhaps closing and
demolition orders in respect of some), a position which would result in unsatisfactory
half measures being adopted, since landlords could not afford to spend
the necessary money to maintain the property in a satisfactory condition at existing
rents. The policy submitted, therefore, was (a) the area to be declared an
insanitary area, (b) immediate acquisition of all interests with compensation on
the basis that the site is not to be used for re-housing purposes, (c) demolition
of some 20 or 30 houses to be effected as soon as the present tenants can find
accommodation elsewhere—these demolitions to be the minimum consistent
with admitting into the area the minimum amount of light and ventilation
necessary, (d) remaining property to be put in tenantable repair and to be managed
by the Corporation, (e) the power so to manage to be authorised for a
stated period of years with power to apply for an extension of time, if necessary,
(f) the scheme to form part of the Corporation's greater building scheme and
to be subject to similar financial provisions, and (g) the site when cleared to
be used for such purposes as may seem desirable in the interests of the Corporation.
This policy assumes that the Corporation will accept responsibility for managing
and controlling certain insanitary property. It is forced into this position
because to remove the tenants at once will involve neighbouring authorities in
increased overcrowding. The period of this management and control will depend
upon local conditions and circumstances, and mainly upon the date when the
present occupants can find accommodation elsewhere. To assist in this it is hoped
the Corporation's building scheme will help.