In colonial cities most working people rented their dwellings, but landlords were sometimes reluctant to maintain properties. The wooden construction of most houses meant dwellings rotted and became slum-like. Some tenants tried to keep houses clean but others did not worry, which alongside overcrowding facilitated the spread of disease. In the early 20th century urban reformers began calling for the state to intervene in the housing market and force landowners to improve their houses or demolish them. This flyer advertises a 1911 lecture by a town planning reformer.
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The University of Auckland Libraries and Learning Services, Special Collections
Reference:
Sir George Fowlds Papers (MSS & Archives A-17 3/65)
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