THE SLUM DANGER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14808, 11 October 1911, Page 8

THE SLUM DANGER.

TWO HOUSES UNDER ONE

ROOF.

HOSPITAL; BOARD PROTESTS.

A condition of things in one of the suburbs of Auckland that might tend towards slumdom met with strong condemnation at a meeting of the Hospital Board last evening. .

The chairman, Mr. P. M. Mackay, drew attention to a clause in the Finance Committee's report, which stated :—" The committee report the fact that two families are occupying on© house, built on an hospital endowment in Epsom, without separate conveniences.. The. Road Board has been communicated with" in the matter, and they reply that the owner of the house has not acted contrary to the Board's bylaws."*" ■■■•-'-'■ ".;'; f-'v'-'-i ',:'■,". .■:.<

"It seems that slums are starting in our suburbs," said Mr. Mackay. "If the Epsom Road Board have not by-laws to prevent such a condition of things, they should proceed to make them at once, A good deal has been said about slums in the city, but look what we have in one of our best suburbs? I think it is disgraceful." • •

Mr. Schofield said the Board should know the details before they did anything. Though there might be two families in the house, they might only consist of four or five persons in all. If that was so, there was no breach of the by-laws, nor did there seem to be anything of the slum business in it. '...■"■" .:.;'"■

Mr. Nerheny threw some light on the subject. " A greater piece of subterfuge could not have been worked than was worked on this occasion," he remarked. The Board years ago objected to the erection of two houses on the one.allotment,' but the lessee achieved what he wanted by building two houses under the one roof. " It is a matter that should be dealt with by the' Health Department," said Mr. Nerheny. ;?"'

The Board, decided to ; forward the particulars to the Health Department.

A letter from Dr. Makgill, district health officer, on the above subject, was read to the Epsom Road Board last night. Dr. Makgill . said if houses were over:, crowded, then the authorities could interfere, but separate accommodation was not demanded in a bouse. The only thing the Public Health Act specified was that each house should have sufficient accommodation. If a combined household formed a very numerous body, the question of numerical sufficiency could be raised, but not otherwise. It was decided that a copy of Dr. Makgill's letter should bo forwarded to the Hospital Board.