SLUM CLEARANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21586, 2 September 1933, Page 11

SLUM CLEARANCE

BIG LIVERPOOL SCHEME £7,400,000 INVOLVED YEARS OF BUILDING WORK FOR 1600 MEN By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received September 1, 0.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, Auk. 31 A si inn clearance scheme, estimated to cost £7,400,000, was approved to-day hv the Liverpool Corporation's Housing Committee. The scheme includes the demolition of 12,742 slum houses and the erection in their placo 15,692 houses, to accommodate 40,G00 people. The building operations, which will extend over several years, will employ 1000 men. The scheme is to bo submitted for approval to the Minister of Health, Sir E. Hilton Young, who called upon all local authorities affected to produce by tho end of September fiveyear schemes for the definite elimination of the slum evil. A few of the schemes submitted have heen judged insufficiently drastic and have been returned to tlia local authorities for prompt amendment. Several London boroughs have shown notable zeal in tackling the problem inherited from tho past, when conditions of housing out of keeping with modern ideas of sanitation were considered quite normal. Bermondscy, for instance, where, a few years ago, whole areas consisted of hovels of the worst type, has replaced these by pleasant flats equipped with baths, airy rooms, kitchens and electric light. The manner in which those who previously were slum dwellers have responded to the opportunity of li\ ing in better surroundings is a complete answer to the sceptics. INDUSTRIAL REVIVAL FACTORS IN BRITAIN STOCK EXCHANGE ACTIVITY (Received September 1. G. 5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, Avis- 31 A material improvement in the traffic receipts is recorded by tho foui railwav companies which control the main lines in Britain. The total earnings last week were £119.000 higher than in the corresponding week of last year. Haw materials and other goods, as well as passengers, show increases and this is taken as one of the several indications which exist of a stea&ly trade revival. Among other indications is tho activity 011 the Clyde, where the seven new vessels ordered have made August the busiest month of tho year, increasing work in the blast furnaces and causing the erection of new plant by north country iron and steel firms and renewed activity in welding plants. Tho Argentine Government has awarded British firms a contract of well over £500,000 to supply galvanised sheet iron barriers to protect crops from locusts. Experiments carried out in Argentina have proved that this is an effective form of protection. On the London Stock Exchange the markets show a firm tone and activity has been keen for this time of the year. This is attributed by tho City editor of tho Times to the fa£t that less attention is being given now to tho vagaries of exchange and the uncertainties of tho American situation than to the evidences of improvement in tho trade outlook and in the statistical position of commodities, coupled with the encouraging home rail traffic returns.

The writer says it is generally realised that no general restoration of world finance and trado can take place until a common international monetary standard has been restored and exchange restrictions abolished.