HOUSING SURVEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 135, 4 December 1936, Page 14

HOUSING SURVEY

DETAILS REQUIRED

LOCAL BODIES' TASK

The regulations gazetted yesterday under the provisions of the Housing Survey Act, 1935, indicate that a wealth of detail is required to be furnished by local bodies. The survey is applicable to all kinds of dwelling houses, including apartment houses, hotels, clubs, and hostels. It is provided that every local authority which desires to make a housing survey of a defined area within its district to the exclusion of other areas shall, not later than January 15, 1937, or not later than one month after the Act has been applied to the local authority, apply to the Minister of Housing for approval of the proposed defined area and, with its application, shall forward a map in duplicate of the dis trict, defining thereon by a coloured boundary line the Tea in question. The Minister may, in his discretion, refuse or grant approval and require the local authority to make such alterations as he directs, and it shall be the duty of the authority to carry out his directions. Every housing survey must contain particulars as to the condition regard ing employment of the occupier of the dwelling unit; the reasons for living in any particular locality in preference to any other locality; and the unimproved value and value of improvements of the premises. The local authority also is to caust to be prepared a housing survey map, showing in distinctive colours dwelling houses which are overcrowded, those which should be demolished on account of falling below the defined standard of fitness and incapable of being brought up to that standard at reasonable expense, houses below the stand ard of fitness but capable of being brought up to standard at reasonable expense, and dwellings which are satisfactory. The standards to be used are detailed in various schedules. A dwelling hour will be deemed to be overcrowded if the number of persons sleeping in it is such that any two of them, ten years old and over, and of opposite sexes, not being husband and wife, must sleep in the same bedroom. Children under one year old are excluded, but a child over one year and under ten years old will be counted as one-half of a person. Detailed information is given in the schedules about rent, nearness to work, employment of occupiers, condition of dwellinp, valuation, materials of construction, open spaces, domestic equipment, and so on. The housing survey statement and map must be completed on or" before July 31, 1937, or, in othsr specified circumstances, on a date as may be notified to the local authority by the Minister.