SYDNEY HOUSING PROBLEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1556, 27 September 1912, Page 7

SYDNEY HOUSING PROBLEMS.

' - ■■ GOVERNMENT TO ERECT DWELL- . ; INGS. " fly telegraph—]?tess Association-Conyriisht , ' Sydney, September 26. v • Mr. Griffith, Minister 1 -for .Public frorks, announced in the Legislative Assembly that the Government proposed to meet the shortage of houses in the city by erecting hundreds of wooden dwellings. The House granted two months' Supfly, after some strong criticism of the Government's ever-increasing ' expenditure. ■ : A SCARCITY OP HOUSES.■ According to evidence given before a Parliamentary, Committee in Sydney recently a . nice little villa Could be b'tjilt seven years ago for <£370. No. builder in Sydney could to-day erect the same dwelling for less than ,£5()0. Mr. Joseph Stimeon, estate agent, of Glebe, who had 17 years experience, said that three years Ago a house With three rooms and kitchen would let for lis,, or 125.; now the same house would bring Us. Now houses Were preferred. A foiir-roomed house three years ago was Worth l3s. Or 14s. If'built tlflw With all conveniences it would bring 18S. Gd. to 'jEI. But houses were not to be E °i" ,^1 r CT ery hundred applicants he Only h&d one hOU9e. He could let a hundred houses in a fortnight if he had thenL The temptation for builders to build was not enough; Wages and material werfl ™o high. Only about 1 per cent of owners objected to Children. Peoplo Would never attempt to btiild if the State attempted , He Imd not done anv building the last 18 months on account Of the price of materials, and labour. The'tenancy laws .Vero another Obstacle to building. It took four tfeeks to get a bad tenant out. Frequently thiiy flitted at night, owincr for severai weeks. Out Of the gfosS 10 per cent which owners frequently got they paid rates, laxes, and repairs, and were lucky to get 7 or 8 Per tent for theii 1 investment;