Slum Clearance In Suva
p. 70 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent
Suva, Aug. 17.
DESPAIRING of Suva’s crammed slum areas, the Town Board has notified the Government that it proposes to grant no further extensions for tem porary buildings after December 31, 1947.
Prior to this discussion the board had decided not to enforce closing orders in the case of dwelling-places (sometimes they cannot be called houses, or even huts), but at the August meeting mem bers were undecided if this were alto gether wise. It was suggested that the demolition of these places, if carried far enough, might send a proportion of the slum-dwellers back to the country and might stop the unceasing drift from the country to Suva.
An interesting sidelight on the local building problem is that while materials for houses and repairs are almost unpro curable, the Government wishes to spend at least £20,000 on an abattoir for Suva.
VHien the Town Board was asked for its opinion on this, several members sug gested that such a thing is an extrava gance. The Board finally side-stepped the issue leaving an expression of opinion to the new municipality which is to be created.