THE HOUSING SHORTAGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 64, 17 April 1946, Page 5

THE HOUSING SHORTAGE

EXCUSE FOR TEMPORARY BUILDINGS

DEPUTY-MAYOR’S CRITICISM

An application from the Licensee of the Whakatane Hotel to erect a temporary wooden building in the rear of the hotel for staff accommodation, evoked a candid expression of opinion by the Deputy-Mayor (Cr S. Shapley) at last Monday’s Borough Council meeting.

Cr Shapley declared that while there was the acute housing shortage in Whakatane he was going to support every move to provide temporary accommodation as it was the only means of meeting the situation. Almost every business concern in the town he said was hampered because of the housing shortage. Workmen were keen to come and live here yet could not be accommodated. Some time ago he had championed a move to erect temporary dwellings to meet the position and the Council would not agree. He considered it had been somewhat lax in this regard, as most other towns had moved as he indicated. Now they had arrived at such-' a desperate state that every person who was prepared to build a respectable temporary home was to be encouraged not restricted. It was the only way out at the present juncture and would show that the Council was tackling the position in a practical manner and not just talking. Cr Shapley also criticised the Government in its State House building campaign, contending that if the houses had been built only in part to provide temporary living quartters, and then were finished at a later date the position would be eased much quicker. Discussing the application the Mayor said that the building was already erected and was on skids. He would not favour it were it not for the fact that at the present time the licensee was compelled to utilise two of his guest rooms for the staff, and thus was limiting the accommodation in the hotel for guests. The applicant was quite willing to follow the requisite procedure if the Council required him to.

It was decided to advise that the necessary advertisement should be inserted in the press in accordance with correct procedure and that the Works Committee inspect and report back.