ARAPUNI SANITATION.

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18408, 15 August 1931, Page 3

ARAPUNI SANITATION.

CONDITION OF DWELLINGS RESULT OF INVESTIGATION. I I NECESSITY OF BY-LAWS. A comprehensive report on housing j conditions and sanitation at Arapunl ! was submitted by the engineer (Mr !M. E. Fitzgerald' at the monthly i meeting of the Matamata County Coun- ; cil yesterday. The report was the j outcome of an application from a land company for permission to erect two dwellings on a quarter-acre section. Recently the engineer, accompanied by the Public Health Inspector, made a thorough examination of the position. The report stated:— “The residential quarters controlled by the Public Works Department consist of: (a.) Permanent residences erected on Government land with ample area about them and all served by permanent water supply, ' sewerage and regular garbage re- | moval . (b.) Temporary quarters erected on Government land with ; I similar sanitary services though of a ; more temporary nature. (c.) Tern- I porary quarters -on private land | leased to the department. These arc I only sleeping quarters for men pro- ! vided with communal ablution and sanitary accommodation as well aa regular garbage collection. “The accommodation provided by the Department is. therefore, on an entirely different footing from that provided by private enterprise with which the Public Works Department has no concern and which does not benefit from the water supply, sewerage or refuse removal systems. We were informed that one land owner is leasing quarter acre sections at £lO per annum for four years to a company and that the company is placing two four-roomed residences on each ' section and letting each house at £1 per week. The company has the right to remove any of its buildings. Another owner appeared to be leasing at less than half the above ground rental to individuals who were erecting their own buildings, often of the smallest and most inferior type. A good deal of land In the locality and quite suitable for building is not being so used, but we did not ascertain the attitude of the owners towards it being so used though it is likely that this land would be available at not more than £2O per acre per annum. We, therefore, could not see any valid reason for crowding on the grounds of: Limited land available, or high cost of land rental which would necessarily result in higher rentals to the occupiers. Instructions to Owners. “We approached this matter from the point of the financial interests of the workmen tenants having regard to essential protection of health as distinguished from the speculative interests of other persons. We were far from being convinced that any latitude in the interpretation of the by-law was Justified, but If this is desired we recommend action along the lines indicated by the attached draft Instructions to owners:— “In the event of permits being given we suggest that permits be limited to (say) four years; that the Council reserve the right to cancel the permit if the use of the land is varied from that shown in the application, without the authority In writing of the Council, or for any other good reason; that in the event of cancellation the owner remove all or any of the buildings within such reasonable time as the council may require. “It is probable that a good many breaches of the by-law have already been made and have perhaps been in existence for several years. In all such cases we think that owners should be warned to submit applications forthwith and in the event of failure they.be prosecuted under the by-law.” On the recommendation of the I Finance and Works Committee it was ( resolved that the engineer and clerk be instructed to prepare by-laws governing public health and to submit same when examined by the county solicitors.