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16
A report on this question of "botching" and on the difficulty of
enforcing really adequate repairs to old property will be found on
page 101. The views of the Owners' Protection Association are by no
means in accordance with those expressed at a Conference on Slum
Areas convened by the Association of Municipal Corporations. The
Conference passed a number of resolutions and there will no doubt,
be considerable difference of opinion with regard to some of them,
but they are sufficiently important to be reproduced in full for the
information of the Council: —
"That this Conference, being of opinion that the continued existence of
insanitary dwellings and insanitary areas is a menace alike to the health, the
morals and the mental and social improvement of great masses of the people
requests the Housing Committee of the Association to submit proposals at
an early date:—
(1) for impressing on all constituent members the urgent need for exercising
all statutory powers for clearing away insanitary dwellings and areas;
(2) for urging His Majesty's Government to facilitate in every way any
such proposals; and
(3) formulating a policy to ensure the removal of all such insanitary
dwellings and areas and for the rehousing of dispossessed occupiers within
the shortest practicable period—a limit of ten years to be aimed at."
"That the question of any amendment of the terms of compensation
provided by section 46 of the Housing Act, 1925, be referred to the Housing
Committee of the Association with an instruction that generally such terms
should be retained and only varied
(1) as to trade compensation; and
(2) as to adjustment of compensation as between landlords, lessees and
and other similar interests."
1. That slum clearance, including the cost of re-housing dispossessed
tenants, is a matter of concern to the State in no less degree than housing;
2. That adequate increased State-aid should be given to local
authorities;
3. That the measure of such assistance should recognise the extent and
weight of the local effort and necessity;
4. That in fixing the rentals of the new buildings regard should be given
to the fact that many of the dispossessed tenants are unable to pay the
economic rent, or, anything approaching that figure; and
5. That the Housing Committee of the Association be requested to take
such steps as may be desirable to secure the carrying out of the above
resolutions.
" That this Conference is of opinion—
(1) That until the housing shortage is made good, housing accommodation
should be provided by the local authority for dispossessed tenants.
(2) That whenever practicable such re-housing accommodation should
not be provided on the cleared site, but in less congested surroundings.