Housing Department and Local Authorities

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22591, 22 December 1938, Page 8

Housing Department and Local Authorities

The State Housing Department having laid out subdivisions with streets of less than the regulation width, the Christchurch City Council prudently desires to protect itself against the legal penalties (enforceable against the Mayor and councillors personally) for " permitting" this irregularity, though the Housing Department, it seems, consults no authority but its own in fixing the width of the streets. The prospect of Government law officers proceeding against an innocent local authority for an offence committed by the Minister and officers of a State department is too rich to be real; and the council might without much fear have looked at it with a laugh instead of alarm. The more serious aspect of the matter is that which exhibits the singular .wilfulness of the Housing Department, which has already been given striking publicity by the Riccarton Borough Council. The Housing Department is not so much to be blamed as the Government is, of course, for the embarrassment of local authorities, uncertain what rates they will receive

from the State housing properties but thieatened with some loss; but it may be suspected that if the Housing Department were to advise the Government to lay down a fairer policy the advice would not be rejected. In other respects, however, it seems clear that the Housing Department is not statutorily covered or excused by any statement of Government policy, when it sets local authority and by-laws aside, makes its own decisions, and presents the local body with the material results. The subdivisions, when the Housing Department has completed its work, fall under local control. This is in itself full reason why the department should make every possible effort to comply with the standard requirements of the local authority. If nothing more than convenience were involved, this would still be true. It appears, however, that sometimes, at least, efficiency is involved also; and the departmental standard is not only different but inferior. It ought not to be necessary to say that the Housing Department should work in the closest co-opera-tion with the local authorities. It is disturbing to see it working as if neither they nor even the laws of the country need be considered.