BIRMINGHAM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 1, 3 January 1933, Page 13

BIRMINGHAM.

CONTROL GF GREAT CITY.' COUNCILLOR'S VISIT. Mr. John Thackcr, a member of the Birmingham City Council, who is at present spending a holiday in New Zealand, said while in Auckland that he was availing himself of the opportunity while in the Dominion to distribute official literature of the Birmingham Information Bureau. "There arc 1200 trades carried on in Birmingham, which is thus the world's most comprehensive industrial area," he said. The fact that the first exhibition of the Empire Marketing Board was held in Birmingham is sufficient to indicate the city's deep-rooted predisposition towards Empire produce, while the twelfth annual Imperial Fruit Show, which has just concluded, serves as a further illustration of Birmingham's determination to buy within the Empire. "With a population of 1,050,000, Birmingham is the second city in Great Britain, and that population includes agricultural as well as industrial pursuits, for Birmingham is approximately 14 miles in diameter. We manage the whole of this area with one authority — the Birmingham City Council. "Birmingham City has of necessity undertaken house-building schemes, and 35,000 dwellings are owned by the Cor poration. Every house costs the rates of Birmingham £5 per year, and the National Government, which subsidised the scheme, a further £5. The City often buys land outside its boundaries, and erects eight houses to the acre on areas which hitherto have been purely rural. These satellite towns are included in the city, so preserving unity of control. Local Bodies. "On account-of your numerous local bodies, you have many anomalies of administration in New Zealand. Business people have complained to me that they have to keep 40 types and sizes of the same line in stock to meet the varying standard requirements. This is unsatisfactory in every way, and results in increased cost to the user. In England we even enjoy standardised electrical pressure. "New Zealand is over-educating her people in the same way as we have done," said Mr. Thacker. "The Dominion cannot provide jobs for its best men, and many are coming to us. In this respect, New Zealand is very like Scotland, where there is little future for an educated man."