Housing Surrey Burden

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 37, 13 February 1937, Page 2

Housing Surrey Burden

EXISTING MAP, MAY BE ÜBED (Special to “Times.") HASTINGS, Feb. 12. A survey of the borough of Hastings under the Housing Survey Act will have to be undertaken by the : council, but permission has been granted to use the existing borough map as the basis of the survey map, and the , officer appointed to conduct the survey will be required only to report upon those houses which do not conform with the regulations. This information was given members of the Hastings Borough Council last evening when the Mayor, Mr G. A. Maddison, reported that on Wednesday he had received a visit from Mr R. B. Hammond, Director of Town-Planning and! an important official under the housing \ scheme. “I was informed by Mr Hammond that no municipality will be exempted’ from the provisions of the Act that calls for the making of a survey,” said Mr Maddison. “To carry out a, complete survey as required by the) Act the cost to the borough would; be probably between £SOO and £600! and would mean several months of! work," He 6aid that ho had pointed l out to Mr Hammond that Hastings was a comparatively modern town, the majority of the buildings being only recently erected, and al«*« that there were no slum areas in the borough at all. "The concessions that have been granted will ease the position ver»much as far os Hastings i* conce'oed,” concluded the Mayor. Before the meeting was a letter from the Director of Housing Construction, who advised that though he had no power to grant an extension of time in the preparation of thei survey map required under the Housing Survey Regulations, no difficulty would arise if the map were not submitted on the due date. The council, however, was asked to make every endeavour to submit the map as early as possible. The building inspector, Mr. C. Carroll, reported that there was very iiiFle need for the carrying out of a survey, as there were no really congested areas or areas likely to become slum areas in the borough, with the exception possibly of Elm and Oak roads. The building committee recommended that a preliminary plan be prepared, showing the areas requiring a survey in accordance with regulations, and that application be then made for ex-j emption of the remainder of the borough; and further, that the question of the appointment of a suitable officerj to commence the preliminary worki Should be left in the hands of the{ Mayor with power to act, the salary be fixed at £6 a week. l |