BARRACKS OR TENTS?

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 7, 3 October 1919, Page 7

BARRACKS OR TENTS?

HOUSE-HUNGER GROWS ACUTE A MAYORAL STATEMENT At last evening's meeting of the City Council tho By-laws Committee recommended: "That consent bo granted to an application for tho conversion of four wooden houses into a factory at the corner of Egmont and Glmzneo Streets, and that consent be granted to tho erection of two short pieces of wooden wall, on tho condition that the buildings are not again utilised as dwellings." \ The chairman of the committee (Councillor Luckio) said that the properties were certain old houses which had been, boftght by Mr. C. J. Ward,' who proposed to convert them into a factory, which would, of courso be done in compliance with the building by-law. Councillor J. Hutchison said that lie intended.to object very slrongly to thp clause. Such places,should not be used for. the purposes of. a.factory. He knew all about the boot business—it was his -trade—and he objected strenuously to the committee's proposal. . Conncillttf P. Fraser also took exception to tiie proposal on the grounds that any new . factory should be a properly constructed building, suitable in every way for carrying on an industry under the best conditions. He referred to the many creditable buildings which had been orected recently in Courtena.v Place,' The Mayor also opposed the clause on the grounds that if these bouses con,ld be converted into a factor;' they could be made habitable as houses, and the council should be very .careful as to what they did with any such buildings, in view of tho acute shortage of houses and the difficulty in getting' labour to build new ones. lie informed the council that day after day and night after night women with babies at their breasts had called at his houso complaining that they had- been ejected from theii; homes through the houses being bought over their heads. The position was such that it was in his mind to approach tho Government for tho use of the barracks, which ■ might- be partitioned off ■so as to -provido temporary shelter for the homeless. The situation was becoming more acute with the arrival of every ship \vitli soldiers and their brides. ~ Ha did not believe that councillors . were aware bow congested .the city_ was and the bad conditions that were prevailing. No tenders had been received for the erection of the' council's houses, and the engineer had stated that:lie.could not get the labour to erect them. If things went on as at present .they might have to consent to people living in tents. He also regretted that the railway restrictions had prevented them advocating tho use as an emergency of some of ilip buildings at Trentham. ■ . Councillor M'lCenzie said the time had arrived when public men should treat this subject seriously, and suggested that they should ask Parliament'to forgo the duties.on'building material, which helped so muoli to make'building next to impossible, ' , A councillor: JVhat material? • • Councillor' M'Kenzie: There is a duty on iron and roofiings. There is scarcely anything used in building that does not carry a 25 per cent. duty'. It is useless' going on increasing wages when the cost of material is increasing more, than the -increase the men are getting, i sincerely hope that the council will take this matter into serious consideration and- see 'tTJat some relief is granted. Put up the duties on luxuries. • Councillors:'On champagne and fur coats! • Councillor M'Kenzie: "It is ridiculous to ask people to livo-in tents—to bring up families in . tents* The trouble is world wide." He had rend that in Detroit' they lmd had to 6top tho. people coming into the city as they were unable to house them.. Councillor Frost said that the price of building, material was such that no reasonable man'would build. He thought fhe ' idea 'of ■. getting Parliament to ease some'. of the' ;duties was ' practicable'.;'' A. duty l\ad been placed 6n foreign' timber in order to protect the local timber industry, but as soon as''that duty was imposed .up when the price of local timber, until it was now 100 per cent, dearer than a few years ago. The> increasing distance over'which timber had to be carried by railways was another, reason for the He mentioned that somo relief might' be 'made if the Government reduced the for the carriage of building timber by rail. People were living like rabbits in Wellington, and he could hardly consent to houses being pulled down'that coiild be repaired. He thought that the clause should be referred back to the" committee to reconsider in the light of prevailing conditions. Councillor T..-Forsyth said if the buildings were not fit for a factory they were surely not fit for a-fiimily. A factory came nnder the eye of the Department—they should leave it to the Inspector of Factories, who did his job, well in Wellington. Councillor J. O. Shorland anil Councillor A. R. Atkinson wished to know if the council had any power to prevent the conversion of the buildings. The Acting City Engineer saul that if the two walls were erected in brick they had no power, but if in wood the permission of the council had to be "obtained. and ho had seen no reason why the walls should not be erected in wood. Ho had not inspected the buildings. The City Solicitor preferred not to express an opinion off-hand. Councillor Shorland .moved and Councillor Frost seconded that the clause be referred back to the committee. On the .amendment being put, it was carried by 9, votes to 6