Sessional_Paper_1898 — Page 472

Appendix

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claim to compensation whatever. Under ordinary circumstances I think it is a doubtful point as to whether they could not have claimed compensation. As the Attorney General explained in bringing the measure before the Council it was desirable that the Permanent Committee should be relieved of responsibility in the matter.

Were those the only houses which were closed, viz., that in which cases of plague had occurred and those the floors of which were not properly concreted?-Basements were closed as well, but I think plague had occurred in every one. Then as to "how the said properties should be improved and by whom such improvement should be carried out." That depends upon what improvement the Commission recommend. If it is of the widening or the making of public streets, the improvement should be carried out by the Government. Section No. 4 of the Commission refers to "The means to be adopted for housing the occupants of any dwellings pending improvement.' I think any im- provement must be carried on, as I have already stated, by degrees, and that no necessity for making any special provision for the occupants of the dwellings is likely to occur. "The amount of capital required for such resumption and improvements, how it is to be raised and how far it will be met by a re-sale, with any suggestions or recom- mendations the Commission may make on the subject." I think the cases where resumption is necessary will be very few, if any at all. It is very important to improve the sanitary condition of the present buildings in the Colony first, if any resumption is made I think that a re-sale will fall very far short of the cost of the resumption.

Have you any suggestion to make in regard to the general question ?-Well, of course, the Sanitary Board has paid a good deal of attention to this matter lately, particularly since 1894, and it has occurred to the Sanitary Board on two or three occasions that there are measures which are absolutely necessary in order that the Board shall make proper headway with sanitary improvements. They do not involve any great expenditure or hardship upon landowners, but at the same time they will very materially improve the condition of the Colony. At a meeting held on the 27th August, 1896, in reply to a letter received from the Colonial Secretary regarding the proposed amendment of the Public Health Ordinance, certain matters came before the Board and a letter was addressed to the Colonial Secretary pointing out what powers the Board considered desirable they should have for the purpose of providing, as soon as possible, open spaces in the rear of domestic dwellings, and a resolution was passed in respect to the provisions that should be enacted.

Have you a copy of that resolution ?—I have a copy of the resolution here. A letter was addressed to the Colonial Secretary enclosing a copy of the resolution and I consider the matters dealt with in that letter are very important, and if the recom- mendations of the Board are carried out very considerable improvements will be made in the sanitary condition of the Colony. Whatever is done in connection with these recommendations does not in the least affect any question of resumption that may come later on.

I therefore divide the recommendations which it seems necessary to make into two classes-those which ought to be carried out at once and, those involved in the event of it being necessary to resume any specific areas with a view to the general improvement of a district.

Do you think it is important that the recommendations of the Sanitary Board should be carried out without delay ?-The sooner the better.

No.

Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-That cannot be done until the Ordinance is amended ?— ·

The CHAIRMAN-As the law stands at present there is no power?-Some persons have carried out very material improvements to certain lanes, but people know perfectly well that if you get half a dozen men in one street out of nine to carry out the improve. ment and the three remaining do not the probability is that those half dozen will say they will not or they are sorry they have. We cannot get the work done until we are able to say "You have got to do it."