SWEEPING AWAY SLUMS

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1933, Page 7

SWEEPING AWAY SLUMS

DRASTIC BRITISH SCHEMES MILLIONS OF POUNDS SPENT TRANSFORMATION WROUGHT LIVERPOOL’S BIG SCHEME British Official Wireless. Rec. 5.5 p.m. Rugby, Aug. 31. A slum clearance scheme estimated to cost £7,400,000 was to-day approved by the Liverpool corporation housing committee. The scheme includes the demolition of 12,742 slum houses and the erection in their place of 15.692 houses to accommodate 40,600 people. The building operations, which will extend over several years, alone will employ 1600 men. The scheme is to be submitted for approval to the Minister of Health, who called upon all the local authorities affected to produce by the end of September five-year schemes for the definite elimination of the slum evil. The schemes submitted have been judged to be insufficiently drastic and have been returned to the local authorities for prompt amendment. Several London boroughs have shown notable zeal in tackling a problem inherited from past days when conditions of housing out of keeping with modern ideas of sanitation were considered normal. Bermondsey, for instance, where a few years ago the whole area 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 living in better surroundings is a complete answer to the sceptics.