CHURCH REPORT ON HOUSING

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27907, 2 March 1956, Page 10

CHURCH REPORT ON HOUSING

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS NO COMMENT The council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce does not consider that the housing problem in Christchurch is within its ambit, and accordingly will take no action on a report it received from the Social Affairs Committee of the Diocese of Christchurch. The committee’s letter sought support from the chamber and its comments on the report. At its meeting last evening, the council adopted a report of a special committee set up to consider the matters raised. In presenting the report, Mr J. Roy Smith said the committee was very sympathetic with any progressive move made by the church and local bodies to deal with this difficult matter.

“We consider it to be a matter for the church and such charitable organisations as can and should take an interest in this problem and, on the other hand, for those local bodies whose responsibility it is to exert general control,” said Mr Smith. “We do not consider that it is a matter for the Chamber of Commerce, and feel that this is one of the instances where we are being urged to go outside our obvious sphere as businessmen. “In short, we think the problem is a problem for the Government and local bodies and charitable organisations, and that the Chamber of Commerece, as a body, should leave it to those whose responsibility it is,” said Mr Smith. ,