REHOUSING PLANS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22539, 2 October 1936, Page 8

REHOUSING PLANS

PROBLEM IN BRITAIN, SLUMS OF THE FUTURE MINISTRY TAKES ACTION ) Stringent measures to mitigate $ serious situation which has arisen i a regard to the rehousing of British agri. cultural workers are contemplated bv the Ministry of Health, states th« Morning Post. A circular to be issued to all hous. ing authorities in rural areas will lay down fixed principles to which all s l um clearance schemes must adhere Authorities whose plans fail to comply with the Ministry's requirements may find it difficult to obtain grants toward the completion of new housing schemes The Ministry, in issuing its circular' will be guided by the failure of niany housing authorities in rural areas to comply with reasonable aesthetic and practical standards. It is considered that many retiousing schemes put operation can but postpone the prob. lems of the day, while at the same tim? they ruin the aspect of the country, side. Briefly, it is felt that rural councils are merely erecting slums of the mediate future to replace those of tig present. The time and the money 0 { Government departments are thereby wasted. Rehousing work in rural areas, as i Q urban districts, is carried out under the Act of lii-'iO. Under the terms of the Act, a long-term plan of rehousing j, now in course of completion. Rural d.i trict councils arc foy the most part tin housing authorities. Permanent officials are of the opinion that rural demolition and rehousing schemes are good, but not nearly good enough. They are not at all satisfied with the extent to which rural authori. ties have taken up the task of rehous. ing agricultural workers, and are de* finitely displeased with the type of house that is being erected. A sub-committee" of the Central Ad« visory Committee has the whole problem under review. As a result of the sub-committee's deliberations, it ij probable that a wholly new standard of rural housing will bo laid down. It will be ordained that new houses in rural areas must be solidly built, capable of enduring for a considerable number of years. Further, it will be demanded that rehousing ye speeded up, and that new houses shall be of a character to suit their surroundings and not such as will mar the landscape in which they 'are erected.