COUNCIL’S POWERS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 202, 24 May 1944, Page 10

COUNCIL’S POWERS

Cr. Appleton Quotes Minister’s Report SLUM CLEARANCE ISSUE After all his inexpert interpretations of the city council's powers, Mr. Roberts had still to explain to electors why the Government itself recognized that legal processes available to the municipality were insufficient, said Cr. Will Appleton. Wellington Citizens’ mayoral candidate, at Thorndon last night. Why did the late Hon. T. Armstrong frame a Slum Clearance Bill? Why was the Government still working on this measure n municipalities had all the powers needed. Because it recognized what Mr. Roberts would not. . , The late Mr. Armstrong, in an officia. statement on June 1, 1939, said: ‘‘A time and a day have arrived when not only are more houses needed in the suburbs but when slums will have to be rebuilt. Legislation is required to compel the owner of a slum to improve the slum, to demolish the slum, or to sell the land to the State at the cost of the land only. Local bodies have this power in Great Britain and to make necessary improvements at the landlord’s expense. Cr. Appleton drew particular attention to Mr. Armstrong’s words, “legislation is required” and to his reference to powers in Great Britain. Mr. Armstrong did not say local bodies in New Zealand had the same powers because he knew they had no such powers. Only Mr. Roberts wanted to mislead electors into thinking they had. Further, in the same report, Mr. Armstrong had stated a truth, which air. l>.ouerts tried to ignore, in these words ’but new houses in the suburbs aud schemes of slum development cannot be pulled out of a hat. We must have new houses for slum dwellers to go to before we pull down the slums/’ It was understandable, said Cr. Appleton, that his opponents interest in housing and slums being so new, he Would not have consulted this report. His opponent quoted the Health Ac., as empowering the council to declare houses unfit for habitation. The council had operated these powers repeatedly and was always up against the same brick wall—the Fair Rents Act. For some years the council’s health committee had a Labour majority under the chairmanship of Mr. Chapman, M.P., and got nowhere with the powers of that Act. That same Act prevented the clearing of any dwelling under section 305 of the Municipal Corporations Act, even if that was applicable. The council had used the Public Works Act for widening Aro Street, but since housing became so acute could not get possession of dwellings: again the Fair Rents Act prevented it. After the 1938 general election, Mr. J. A. Lee, as Under-Secretary for Housing, advocated slum clearance legislation and part of, his report to caucus read: “In terms of our manifesto, a Housing Bill is now necessary. Legislation should be passed along the lines of the British ■Housing Acts to enable us to order the demolition of unsatisfactory premises. It should be possible for the Labour Government to commence and complete at least one slum building project of major proportions in Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland before the next general election (1941).” That was six years ago, said Cr. Appleton; two years before the war. But Mr. Roberts still wanted to blame the council. His own party promised to build 3000 houses this year. That was eight months ago. What had been done? For what had not, his opponent wanted to hold the council responsible. 1 All these facts went to show how the prospect of improving one’s earnings to £2OOO a year stimulated sudden interest in slums and housing generally. ?= v *

Speaking at Cable’s Foundry, Kaiwarra, yesterday at noon, Mr. R. A. Wright (candidate for the city council) said that he and his colleagues had been stigmatized as “Tories.” It was an incorrect statement, and he vigorously denied the soft impeachment. He understood the original “Tory” was an Irish brigand, and though his (Mr. Wright’s) ancestors were Irish, not one of them had ever been .charged with unlawful practices. As a matter of fact, the word “Tory” was today applied to a political party with which Mr... Wright was not connected, and it meant a person who was rolling in wealth. But how about Mr. James Roberts, who was living in a glass house? It was common knowledge that his salary as a Waterfront Commissioner was £11250 a year. If he was successful as the mayoral candidate, another £750 a year would be added —£2000 in all. This income was much more than he (Mr. Wright) and many others received. Who then was the “Tory”? Surely it was Mr. Roberts, and Mr. Wright said he firmly believed that the young people of Wellington would live to see Mr. Roberts marching at the head of the “Tory” party beating the big drum.

Questioned at a foundry meeting yesterday, Mr. H. F. Toogood, hospital board candidate, said pensioners in Wellington Hospital received, £2/10/- a month of their £7/10/- pension as pocket money. Where a pensioner was a full two months in hospital the Social Security Department kept £5 toward his or her keep and paid the balance of £2/10/to the board’s clerk, M’ho dispersed this to the pensioner, merely as agent. In Central Park Home, the board collected the £7/10/-, retained £5 for keep and paid the pensioner 9/6 a week pocket money. K ;

Mr. J. C. Crawford, at Brooklyn, contrasted the achievements of the present board during the most trying war years with those of the previous board. Mr. Croskery, he said, was only too well aware that Dalbdur had the voting power on the previous board. That board had built a stores block to which 100 different alterations were made before completion. Electors could well imagine the cost. It built a power station, neglected to take the. experts’ advice, and one .'boiler a month was always out of cominission. Its only other effective work was a 50bed ward behind the children’s hospital. The present board had nearly completed the Hutt hospital, part being occupied. It had built two soldiers’ wards, an eye ward, a plaster ward, a 210-bed block and a nqw mortuary. Because it knew what it wanted, it got'things done.

Labour’s yardstick for measuring up what they called a Tory was the achievement of something in life, said Mr. A.. M. Pope, at Vogel-Morn Hall last night, As one of a family of seven he worked at night when 10 years old screwing on skates ait a rink for 3d. a time. But he did not neglect his schooling. He started in business nine years ago and gave his staff a fortnight’s holiday when the award was for only a week. He did not wait for legislation. Similarly with wages. What had some of those who cried “Tory” done?

UPPER HUTT CITIZENS Brigadier R. A. Row, DjS.O. and Bar, at a Citizens’ election meeting at Upper Hutt, stressed the need for sound town planning now'. Delay would see the introduction of the problems which bigger boroughs and cities were finding it tremendously hard and costly to overcome today. In 25 years Upper Hutt would be a city, but now was the time to prepare. Mr. J. Purvis, hospital and power boards and council candidate, said he had attended 243 out of 2G4 hospital board or committee meetings in three years. No X individual or district need had ever been allowed to go unattended. The mayoral candidate, Mr. C. A. Rendle, said the Citizens’ ticket, if elected, would urge the earliest possible start on the duplication and electrification of the Upper Hutt line. It would immediately press for improvement. of existing services, particularly the ra.lcar. Other council candidates, SergeantMajor H. C. Polson. Messrs. A. Birkett, R. Cameron, P. Gray, J. A. Taylor, junr., and K. S. Geange, dealt with such planks of Citizens’ policy as a sewerage scheme, re introduction of a council housing scheme, at least one paved footpath for every street, proper main highway cycle tracks, 'bus shelters, flooding elimination, and rates as low as possible consistent with progress and urgent needs.