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rates instead, in part or entirely, upon the land value of each hereditament in
their area.
(Since this report was submitted, this Bill has been dropped.)
Local Authorities (Admission of the Press) Bill.
This Bill proposes to extend the expression "local authority," as used in the
Local Authorities (Admission of the Press to Meetings) Act, 1908, to include a
public assistance committee or any other committee or the members of any other
committee acting as a public assistance committee pursuant to the Local Government
Act, 1929, Sec. 6, so far as respects any acts or proceedings which are not
required to be submitted to the Council for their approval.
Blended Butter Bill.
This Bill proposes to restrict the sale of "blended butter," which is defined
as "butter composed partly of butter entirely made in the United Kingdom
and partly of butter made in any other place."
(Since this report was submitted, this Bill has been dropped.)
Housing (No. 2) Bill.
This Bill proposes to make further and better provision with respect to the
clearance or improvement of unhealthy areas, the repair or demolition of insanitary
houses and the housing of persons of the working classes. It is proposed to amend
the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1925, the Housing (Financial Provisons) Act, 1924,
and the other enactments relating to housing subsidies.
The Bill consists of five parts and five schedules, and the following are particulars
of its proposals:—
Part I.
Part I (Clauses 1 to 13). This part of the Bill contains provisions with respect
to the clearance or improvement of unhealthy areas. The London County Council,
the Common Council of the City of London, and the Metropolitan Borough Councils
are, subject to prescribed limitations, authorities within its meaning. Particulars
of these provisions are as follows :—
Clause I.— This clause provides that where a local authority, upon consideration
of an official representation or other information in their possession, are satisfied
as respects any area in their district that the dwelling houses in that area are by
reason of disrepair or sanitary defects unfit for human habitation, or are by reason
of their bad arrangement, or the narrowness or bad arrangement of the streets,
dangerous or injurious to the health of the inhabitants, and that the most satisfactory
method of dealing with the conditions in the area is the demolition of
all the buildings in the area, the authority shall cause that area to be defined on
a map and shall pass a resolution declaring the area so defined to be a clearance
area, that is to say, an area to be cleared of all buildings in accordance with the
provisions contained in the Bill.
Provided that, before passing any such resolution, the authority shall satisfy
themselves :—
(а) That accommodation available for the persons of the working classes
who will be displaced by the clearanoe of the area exists, or can be
provided by the authority in advance of the displacements which
will from time to time become necessary as the demolition proceeds
; and
(b) That the resources of the authority are sufficient for the purpose of
carrying the resolution into effect.
A local authority shall forthwith transmit to the Minister a copy of any such
resolution with a statement of the number of persons of the working classes to be
displaced.