68

THE  HOUSING  QUESTION

Dr.  Addison,  in  moving  the  second  reading  of  the
Housing  Bill  on  7th  April,  1919,  said  :—
“The  power  is  asked,  where  a  local  authority  defaults,  to  either
prepare  a  scheme  or  build  the  houses  ourselves,  and  if  that
were  the  conduct  of  an  Oriental  potentate  I  daresay  we  should
have  less  trouble  in  the  East.  Let  us  come  to  the  proceedings
of  the  Industrial  Conference  the  other  day,  and  what  did  they
say  ?  The  Report,  signed  by  both  employers  and  employed  at
that  conference,  on  page  9,  contains  the  following  :  ‘  In  order
to  meet  the  present  crisis,  the  Committee  recommend  that  the
Government  should  without  delay  proceed  with  a  comprehensive
housing  programme.  .  .  .  The  Committee  urge  that  where  the
local  authorities  fail  to  utilise  their  powers  to  provide  suitable
housing  accommodation  the  Local  Government  Board  should
take  the  necessary  steps  for  the  erection  of  suitable  houses  in
the  area  of  the  authority,  and  special  powers,  if  necessary,  to
compel  authorities  to  act  in  accordance  with  the  housing  needs
of  the  district.  ’
"  That  is  exactly  what  is  in  the  Bill.  Let  me  say  this  :  the
local  authorities  are  only  too  anxious  to  get  on  with  the  work.
I  have  had  many  conferences  with  them  on  this  Bill,  and  we  have
always  got  on  very  happily  together,  without  any  difficulty  or
conffict.  But  many  of  them  fully  recognise  that  it  is  in  the
highest  national  interest  that  this  power  should  be  taken  in  the
event  of  an  authority  failing  to  do  its  duty.  There  is  no  affront
to  the  authorities  in  making  this  proposal.
“  We  have  in  this  Bill  some  very  unique  and  unusual  provisions ­
  which  authorise  the  Ministry  to  act  the  part  of  and  in
place  of  the  authority.  At  the  same  time  it  is  coupled  with
provisions  which  give  an  altogether  unprecedented  measure  of
aid  to  local  authorities  in  carrying  out  the  duties  which  the  Act
casts  upon  them,  and  it  is  right  that  it  should,  and  I  think  the
House  will  expect  me,  if  I  am  a  Minister,  to  exercise  that  right
and  discharge  that  duty,  and  in  the  case  of  those  who  are  neglecting
this  urgent  national  duty  not  to  hesitate  to  call  upon  others  to
operate,  if  necessary,  on  their  behalf.