HOUSING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 71, 17 December 1926, Page 12

HOUSING PROBLEM

DUNEDIN RESIDENTS’ PROPOSAL FUND FOR PROMOTIVE AND EDUCATIONAL WORK Dominion Special. Dunedin, December 16. As the outcome of the Mayor’s action in calling a public meeting recently to discuss the housing problem in Dunedin and more particularly that branch oi it which relates to the elimination of slums, Mr. E. Anscombe has addressed a letter to the Mayor (Dlr. Tapley) setting forth a definite proposal and embodying a practical offer. Mr. Tapley has handed the letter to the chairman of the committee set up by the public meeting. Mr. Anscombe, inter alia, wrote:— “To place the scheme at the outset on a business footing, I suggest that a working fund be established, and to this end that 100 citizens (principally employers of labour) be approached and asked to contribute £lOO each for the establishment of a fund of £lO,OOO, and that the interest (which in corporation bonds should at least be £5OO per annum) be applied to promotive and educational work, the fund to be controlled bv a committee on which the subscribers should have representation. If this is carried into effect I would be pleased to contribute £lOO as one of the' 100. Bv establishing a fund as above suggested you would secure that which is vastlv more important than money itself, i.e., the direct personal sympathy and interest of each citizen who subscribes. Once this interest is created nothing should stand in the way of accomplishing whatever is taken in hand. It will, I think, be recognised that promotive and educational work is of paramount importance in all city betterment endeavour. The citizens should be educated to the full sense of their responsibilities and convinced that little can be accomplished in such a movement without public understanding and an appreciation of the city’s needs, problems and advantages. Io obtain' the best results housing should, I think, go hand in hand with town planning.”