DUNEDIN SLUMS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 65, 10 December 1926, Page 11

DUNEDIN SLUMS

MOVEMENT TO REPLAN AREAS INSPIRATION FROM LOWER HUTT Dominion Special. Dunedin, December 9. Speaking at the weekly luncheon of tlie Dunedin Rotary Club* Mr. P. R. Sargood made a useful and interesting contribution to the discussion of the means that should be adopted for the elimination and replacement of msanitarv dwellings and areas. Mr. Sargood said that the recent meeting to consider the eradication of those slum areas which deface this fair city indicated a growing apprecation by the public of the dangers that threaten the community and resulted in. a large committee being set up to investigate the evil and exploit ways and means of grappling with it. It needed no words of his to emphasise the need of stopping at once what might grow into a permanent disgrace to a. young and virile community. A .beautiful city like Dunedin should be free of any. reproach in this connection. Its citizens had an extraordinarily well-developed sense of the beautiful and the fitness of things and only required properly organising to tackle the slum question, in earnest and make slums for ever impossible in their midst. To a body of Rotarians pledged to community 'service it was easy to appeal for a sympathetic hearing with a knowledge 'that one and all were readv to lend a hand, said the speaker. Of course, there were many difficulties to overcome, much research to be made and much hard work to be undertaken, but with a willing, competent and efficient bodv of men and women, backed by public sentiment, most things civic were possible. The subject ‘naturally fell under two mam headings. The demolition of hovels and slum areas, embracing the necessary powers of action and financial backing, and the planning and laying out of residential areas and the building of houses to rehouse these families that would be compulsorilv removed from the slum areas and the formulation of ways and meat;* of carrying tins out. The institution of a movement tti this direction in Dimedin had induced Mr. Sargood to make an endeavour while in Wellington to see the Lower Hutt scheme, and some interesting data .tesnectiiig it had been furnished him. His inspection convinced him that a splendidly organised and carried rut effort was being accomplished by this scheme, nnd he seldom seen sue ’ an example of bir efficiency end rapid construction. Altogether the scheme was an inspYrfng example of woll-de-signed. well-thought-out r-nd well-ex-ecuted community service.