Government’s Housing Scheme

Northern Advocate, 5 January 1937, Page 6

Government’s Housing Scheme

HOUSE-TO-HOUSE INVESTIGATION [Special to “ Northern Advocate ,”J WELLINGTON, This Day. For the purpose of gaining information as a guide to formulating a housing programme for the community and in the development of low-cost housing and slum clearances, the Government is instructing local bodies to make a detailed housing survey. A memorandum supplied to all interested bodies states that the general purpose of the survey, which will be made under the Housing Survey Act, 1934, will be to provide statistics as to the number of dwelling-houses which are overcrowded and which fall below a standard of fitness for habitation. The local bodies will be responsible for the correctness of the survey and are required to appoint investigators, who will make house-to-house visits, collecting information which must be supplied in statistical form, with maps, to the Government.

Intimate Questions. A supervisor will co-ordinate the information gleaned by the investigators, who are forbidden to communicate any information gained except to this official or to the council. The instruction relating to the employment of suitable persons to make the survey suggests that it is highly desirable that men with judgment and tact, and possessing some experience in approaching and dealing with people, should be appointed, as some of the questions published below, for which he will require to obtain answers, are rather intimate: — (1) The accommodation provided by existing dwelling-houses, with special reference to the number and size, of rooms. (2) The physical condition of such dwelling-houses, and their appurtenances.

Survey By Local Bodies

(3) The occupancy of the dwellinghouses with special reference to the age, sex and number of persons living there.

(4) The owners and occupiers of dwellings and in the case of rented houses, the rentals charged. (5) The extent of overcrowding. . (6) The population densities of residential areas.

(7) The condition as regards employment of the occupier of every unit included in the survey. (8) The reasons for the occupier living in any particular locality in a district in preference to any other locality in the district. (9) The unirtfcroved value and value of improvements of the premises comprising every dwelling-house included in the survey according to + he valuation roll in force and the Valuation of Land Act, 1925. Investigators are not allowed to combine the work with any other, tube accompanied by unauthorised persons. They must carry a certificate of appointment.

Three Standards. The standard of physical condition of houses to be ascertained by local bodies comes under three heads. These are: (a) A standard of satisfactory condition; (b) a standard of condition that is unsatisfactory but repairable; (c) a standard where repair is impracticable. The standard of overcrowding applies to bedrooms only. Where it is necessary to use a living-room for sleeping purposes to avoid overcrowding of bedrooms, such dwellings are to be deemed to be overcrowded. It is considered that every family is entitled to at least one common livingroom which is not used for sleeping. The sleeping accommodation is to be based on the separation of the sexes after ten years of age. The standard applies to every room occupied or used as a bedroom, whether such room be a private dwelling, apartment house, lodging house or boardinghouse. It is recognised that, in the case of some of the smaller boroughs, certain survey items may possibly be dispensed with. Such local authorities may make application to the Minister for dispensation.

Such areas in which it is fairly definitely known that the buildings do not fall below the standard of overcrowding and fitness as set out in the second and third schedules of the Regulations may, subject to the prior approval of the Minister, be omitted from the survey.