SLUM CONDITIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1936, Page 7

SLUM CONDITIONS

DEMOLITION ORDER REFUSED CPer Press Association—Copyright) WELLINGTON, July 16. “The sooner responsible authorities are able to formulate and carry oui a concerted plan to eradicate slum conditions, the better it will be for the whole community,” said Mr Luxford. S.M., delivering reserved judgment, dismissing the application for a demolition order in the Magistrate’s Court, to-day. Mr Luxford said that slums would never he eradicated by spasmodic applications for demolition orders. Section 306 of the Municipal Corporations Act, which said there must be minimum air space around dwelling houses, was intended to prevent the creation of new slum areas, and gave no power to demolish old dwelling houses, was intended to prevent the creation of new slum areas, and gave no power to demolish old dwelling houses without the necessary air space, built before the Act came into force. Mr Luxford said the contention that the section covered all houses, wherever built, raised the important question, which if decided in the Corporation’s favour, would have larreaching consequences. In short, the owner of every dwelling house in the borough, that did not comply with Section 306, regarding minimum air space, might be faced with the necessity to pull it down whenever required by the Corporation to do so. Application was made by the Wellington City Council for a demolition order in respect of a hailding Bft by 12ft, let as a furnished bedroom, ami situated at the rear of of a building in Ghuznee Street. The small building had no air space on two sides, and on the third was partly obscured .by a woodshed. The Corporation contended that the building was very old badly constructed, and in a general state of disrepair and decay. Mr Luxford held that all the defects diclosed were capable of remedy, justifying the use of a closing order. The procedure to secure repairs being ef-