§ 82. Mr. LEACHasked how many schemes for town planning have been sanctioned under the Town Planning Act, and how many more are under consideration?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)I have sanctioned the preparation of thirty schemes by twenty-four local authorities, and four of these schemes have been made by the local authorities and submitted to me for approval. I also have under consideration applications for authority to prepare thirteen other schemes by twelve local authorities. The area of the lands included in the above schemes exceeds 60,000 acres. In addition, about 100 other cases have been brought to my notice in which the local authorities were considering the question of preparing schemes; and there are no doubt many other authorities who are contemplating schemes, but who have not yet found it necessary to communicate with me on the subject.
§ 83. Mr. LEACHasked how many houses have been condemned under the Town Planning Act as unfit for habitation; and how many insanitary houses have been made habitable under the same Act?
§ Mr. BURNSInformation on the subject is contained in the White Paper on Housing recently issued by me. The latest figures in my possession show that up to the 31st March last 15,350 houses were made the subject of closing orders by local authorities under the Housing and Town Planning Act, 1909, but a large number of those houses were subsequently made fit for habitation. The number of insanitary houses or houses not reasonably fit for habitation which have been made fit for habitation as a result of procedure under Sections 15 and 17 of the Act of 1909 is approximately 67,000.