HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Evening Star, Issue 25426, 6 March 1945, Page 3

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

LOCAL BODY SCHEMES WIDER POWERS URGED BY CR IRELAND Advocating an extension of the powers of local bodies in the development of, housing schemes, particularly in the granting of wider authority to purchase, and, if necessary, take land under the powers of the Public Works Act. Or L. J. Ireland presented a lengthy statement to the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government yesterday afternoon. Although present in a private capacity, his submissions had been perused by other members of the City Council. Under the amendments proposed by him. a local body could sell sections", build homes, and finance home builders.

Municipalities were being urged to pnter the lists of house builders and financiers. Mr Ireland said, and they 'iad power to borrow money for loan purposes. He contended that it should be part oil' the municipal function to develop city extension and service on a more or less planned basis in cer. tain circumstances, and to encourage private subdivision where this was possible and reasonable. Any increment in value brought about at the expense of the general ratepayer should be secured to the community. Developments now taking place in areas adjoining city boundaries, many of which had been fixed arbitrarily, had been consequential on the provision of public utilities services and amenities by the major body. Accordingly, the adjoining bodies using city . amenities appeared to have preserved a low administrative cost.

"To contend that there is justification for the continued separate existence of such urban areas is simply a substantiation of the argument for the reintroduction of the borough system, which proved a handicap to progress in the metropolitan area. Some adjustment of boundaries between the city and the Taieri County is now under consideration, as the county .is unable to supply the services necessarv to the proposed new Government housing extension at Corstorphine. The artificial boundary in Vauxhall is causing an undesirable development in this area and is retarding progress. "Boundary roads between two local authorities should be eliminated as giving unsatisfactory service to householders owing to divided financial responsibility," Mr Ireland said. "Riselaw road is an example. The Kaikorai Valley road, as a prospective new southern main entrance to the city, is of interest. Its southern end is in Green Island Borough, one mile in the central portion is in the Taieri County, and its northern portion lies within the city. The portion within the, county should be brought under city jurisdiction to permit land development and the full utilisation of public services and in order to produce a satisfactory highway standard." slum'clearance. Slum clearance and the prevention of conditions breeding slum areas was a problem which many felt should become a national and local body policy, said Mr Ireland. Difficulties confronting the efficient administration of the policy were quoted by the speaker, who instanced one division of a quarter-acre holding into eight or nine allotments. He suggested that the authority of a district land registrar should be abolished, or at least amended, and ateo be made subject to the consent of the local body as to minimum areas.