THE HOUSING QUESTION

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16398, 18 December 1918, Page 8

THE HOUSING QUESTION

MUNICIPAL POWERS DESIRE!)

REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTER

Tho Spocial Committee which was Bet up at the last meeting of the City Council to consider the housing problem. etc., roport-ed to last night's , meeting of the Council that it had held three meetings, the following being a synopsis of the steps taken — "The Minister of Public Health has been asked to amend the Public Health Act to provide that upon any dwellingbeing unoccupied, th§ Council shall be notified thereof by the owner bef<jro the bouse is again occupied, and to give the Council power to enter and inspect, and order any necessary renovation and cleansing to be carried out forthwith; provision also to be made for a license to re-occupy to be obtained at a reasonable fee, as the work entailed will be necessarily expensive. - The Council to have power to advance money for improvements and alterations to dwellings on the samo lines as those contained in the Christchurch City Sanitation Empowering Act, 1908. "The District Health Officer has been asked what powers he has to prevent overcrowding in private dwellings. "Inquiries are being made regarding the cost of the several classes of workers' dwellings in Christchurch, the general conditions of tie lease, and if the rent received pays all expenses. "The opinion of the Municipal Association's solicitor is being obtained, regarding the Council's power to make a by-law requiring certain conveniences to be installed in new houses, such as bathrooms, hot and cold water services, lavatory, and w.c. accommodation and other necessaries for conserving the public health, and also, in the event of a dwelling-house becoming vacant, whether tho Council could demand that the before-mentioned conveniences must be provided before the house is again occupied. "A conference is being arranged between the By-laws Committee and the Public Health Department to consider the minimum requirements necessary to secure healthy living conditions and better sanitation in the matter of honebs in»the city.

"The city solicitor advised that the business of an undertaker does not come -within any of tho statutory powers of the Council, and the Minister of Public Health has been asked to provide the necessary legislative authority during the present session of Parliament."

Tiie report was adopted without discussion.