HOUSING PROBLEM.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 May 1919, Page 2

HOUSING PROBLEM.

QUESTION' BEFORE BOROUGH; COUNCIL. REPORT TO BE OBTAINED. His' Worship the Mayor (Mr. C.' H. Burgess) and the town clerk (Mr. F. T. JMlringer), who attended, the Town Planning Conference as representatives of the New Plymouth Borough Council, submitted a brief report to the council oil Wednesday night, and attached thereto reports of the greater part of the | proceedings. The delegates.', however, jpiade special reference to the housing problem and the provision of open spaces : and children's playgrounds as, follows; HOUSING. 'j The question' is, without doubt, the one requiring most immediate attention, not. only in New Plymouth, but in all parts of the Dominion. As wiil be seen from the reports attached, the conference were unanimous in their opinion that the question was really a national one, and that, H iless financial assistance was forthcoming from the Government local bodies could not hope, under the abnormal conditions at present obtaining, to undertake housing schemes for their particular districts without incurring a. very substantial annual loss. The Minister of-1 Internal AQJairs recognised this, and', undertook to place the recommendations of the conference before Cabinet as an urgent matter, and not to wait for Parliament to meet. : It is possible, therefore, that the Government decision in the matter may not-be very long delayed. In the meantime, however, we recommend that a committee should be appointed from the council to s.ubmit proposals in regard to building a number of houses for the council's own employees, several of whom are at present experiencing great difficulty and inconvenience in regard to housing. We feel that if the council is to retain the services of its employees it mus.t make provision for the housing of dt least some of them, dealing with the most urgent cases first. By the time the report is submitted it is possible that the Government decision in regard to financial assistance may have been given, and the committee could then proceed to consider a more general scheme of housing. There was a brief discussion in regard to the above question, and a committee consisting of the Mayor, Councillors Hill, Griffiths:, and Parkin was appointed to go into details and report. Councillor Hill was made convenor of the committee.

OPEN SPACES AND CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUNDS. This question was a very prominent oue in the deliberations of the conference. In regard to New Plymouth, we feel! that a number of small open spaces in the more thickly populated portions of the borough would be a distinct advant ageNotwithstanding that New .Plymouth iti extremely fortujaate ijn possessing large parks, domains, and seaside reserves, we feel that it is very desirable that there should also be a number of small playing grounds near the homes of the people, where the children could play after school hours. The 'exiiting parks we too far away from the homes of the people for this purpose, and consequently the children at present are compelled to play in the setreets. We suggest, therefore, that, as a commencement, a few seats, swings, etc., be placed in the following sections owned by the council, and fiat a limited number of trees be planted if required near the boundaries of the sections, leaving the greater portion of each section available for grassing down as a playground:— Part section 984, Cover Street; section 272 Powderham Street.

Thee© are the only t/ections available at present, bat later on it is quite possible that section 853, 854, and 868 Gill Street, at present used as a borough yard, may not be required for this purpose, everything being concentrated in. the Lemon Street yards. If this eventuates, the sections,' in question should be set aside as a children's playground in •ft similar way to the other sections mentioned.

We also recommend that from time to time, as opportunity offers, one section at least should be acquired in every thickly populated fjtreet and set aside as a playing ground. The cost may be iconsiderable, but it will be spread ever a period of years, and the benefit to the community will be incalculable.

In reference to this question, his Worship intimated that, with the council's consent, Mrs. Burgesa and himtelf would prefer to spend his honorarium- on the two sections mentioned instead of on the section opposite the railway station. They felt it would be devoting the money to a more useful purpose, especially in view of the fact that if a town hall was erected the suggested expenditure for improving the property at the present time would probably be wasted. Mr, Burgees' stressed the importance of providing playing grounds for the children, and said that in the more thickly populated areas t-Jie tendency was for children to play 011 the, streets, which was extremely dangerous nowadays in view of the large amount of motor traffic. TOWN PLANNING ASSOCIATION. 1 It is very f degipible that a> local town planning association should .be formed in New Plymouth upon tJio lines indicated by sjr,-, Hyrtt Seager during .his, recent visit,;„she Mayor H,-therefore;-.pro-poses at the -easiest opportunity ,to : con-i vepe a meeting,'<3f -those-interested- in-: or,ctcr that such -an .assouat 011 may be established. . ~.y ... ~,