THE HOUSING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 143, 12 March 1920, Page 3

THE HOUSING PROBLEM

PRIVATE ENTERPRISE REQUIRED. "In a recent issue, Thk Dominion suggested that local bodies 'throughout tnu country should 1>? «ske<l to supply information regarding their housing loan requirements, so that tho Government might be enabled to fairly apportion the funds available. This," wr.tes. Mr. It. Hill, secretary of, the Town Planning Association, "is most decidedly thb enly sensible thing to do, as The Dominion truly says, and by acting, on this suggestion the Government would be doing practically what was done by the British Ministry of Health, last year.. .'Q.uoling from the 'Times' Housing . Supplement, just to liond, we read thati'Thcßritish ■Housing and Town Planning Act look effect on July 31, 1919,| and it was provided that within three months of that date every local authority should have submitted to the Ministry of Health tho outlines of a scheme des gncd to meet tho requirements of its district and population.' At tho'end of the three months the great majority of local authorities had sent in the desired information, and lli-1 bodies bad already begun work on sites on which it, was proposed to bu'ld houses to the number of 19,849. . •

"In the leading article of the 'Times' supplement, it says, in referring,(o 'tho Government's former housing policy, that 'a mistake wis undoubtedly made in relying teo much on' municipal authorities awl ignoring private • cuti-v----.prise.' And. Mi-. Neville Chamberlain, M.P., elsewhere in Hie .same publication, says: 'It Is now generally recognised that the only hope of escape (from housing difficulties) is bv the resurrection of private enterprise'. The 'private eiiNpree' mentioned by both writers refers to public utility iiocieties. town-planning cssoeiations, tens "Is, co-partnerships, and similar formed for-the ox*press puri>e=e of erecting houses. The New Zealand Housing Act. ignores private enterprise, but this omission was Accidental, and would have 'been rectif-ed by Mr. Jfassey had time nenui.tNl, The position of private building. societ'c.s will no doubt lie made clear, and Ftate support fissured them in the T<«yn Planning Bill which it is expccted will be brought down e.irly in the coniing session. It is pretty certain, however, that unless the Government grant. sometliili" more pubstant:al than the jeil.OCO dole, very little will be done by either public or orivete enterprise to relievo the serious housing shortage."