AUCKLAND'S BUILDINGS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 727, 28 January 1910, Page 5

AUCKLAND'S BUILDINGS.

— ♦ s AND ITS PAROCHIALISM. ■/' (By Teleeraph.r-SDeoial; Correspondent.). ■ ■■■■: Auckland, January 27. i- Speaking- at a' social function last even-' /ing.'the-.llistrict;Health'.Officer . (Dr. Purdy),- in ' referring- to his from. New Zealand next: montlijsaid that one - could .not bid farewell to such ' a beautiful city, as Auckland without regret; .He- had ,listened, withtinterest', to pre- : vioiis. speaker's . remarks about the : . slum: .tenements.','./rhat ' gentleman .would, have . the'opportunity ..of, making 'further.-.stater ments of; the kind,-since he (Dr. Purdyj ,had:_forivarded.to:;the.City Council letters dealing .with .the insanitary tenements in Duke btrect (Freeman's liay). Cook Street, I Baker; Street;;=and, other localities."-; He |. had;,to;admit<that-he was.pleased with the improvements of • the last . two , years, there .was vstill: much which remained ,to be- done. -' Only that; day,, however, ..he.- had.;been .gratified to' see. well-' :huilt houses. going ; up : on,sites where condemned, shanties 'had existed less than twoyears; back...: In.'-the., period he - had :named, no»fewer than .'3OO houses- in Auckland .city arid suburbs had. been-con-, .demned';: as:',unhealthy . tenements. The question was one .that was/full of complexities. ;.He believed that, the fault, lay with the/system of. not educating the people up .to.' a' better standard, and, in this 'respect,; New : -Zealand" was, strangely 1 backward, more so, in fact, than almost. , aiw,.country, in-the. world. - .'- Referring: to ; the question of Greater |'Auckland,-Dr. vPurdy : : said - that' there !; would he:; no ' satisfactory progress until amalgamation was accomplished.* Strangers I-to"; Auckland, ho said, were struck by .the L-ridiculous \ parochialism '-~ .which existed,; .and ■ the :.' imaginary lines ■ which- • were separating . orio . . district . from, another. Tho. city : anil suburbs drainage scheme,; .when completed,- would,, ho believed,, re--' r-ult-in: the/establishment' of a Greateb Auckland; : and; a -Greater Onehunga. -'