HOUSING SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 195, 13 May 1920, Page 6

HOUSING SHORTAGE

« A LABOUR DEMONSTRATION MORE HOMES DEMANDED PROTECTION FOB TENANTS V. ' " '■ \ . ■ A "housing, demonstration" , arranged by the 'Wellington Labour Representation Committee was held in the -Town Hall last night. The attendance was •thin, only a portion of the body of the hall being occupied. Mr. H. Dyson, president of the L.R.C., "resided, and was supported] fon the platform by a number of prominent trades unionists. Tho chairman said the meeting had bsej. called because a number of Labour unions had approached the L.R.C. and 6total that the time'had come when an 'organised effort must be made to solve the housing problem. He did not know if the attendance was a true criterion to the' feelings and sentiments of the people. i His own experience suggested that it was not. He had listened to harrowing tales from women who were suffering from the housing shortage. The time had come,to finish .with public meetings and pious resolutions and to compel the men at the head of affairs to provide the people with homes for themselves and their children. He asked i for signatures, to 1 tho housing petition, which ho believed was going to carry a record number of signatures. |A great procession was going to present tho petition to Parliament in the name of the homeless people of: Wellington. Mr. J. Bead moved: : That as the shortage of houses is more acute than at any time in the history of the Dominion, that as families have frequently to live in ; single rooms, that as no proper housing, accommodation is available for the people already in the country, that as every: immigrant family arriving renders the situation more serious, that aa many of the houses inhabited are dilapidated,unhealthy and insanitary, and'a considerable number actually condemned by the Health authorities, this meeting demands that Parliament make adequate provision, financially and otherwise, for ,an organised housing scheme on a sufficient scale to remedy the present shortage of housing accommodation, and thus meet ■ tho .needs of the people. This meeting '' 1 further demands that as. the shortage of houses is more acute'than In 1916, when the first war legislation . protecting tenants was passed, '.- and as ali such war legislation will be Automatically repeated in August next, thus rendering all tenants, in- • eluding discharged soldiers and their , dependants, liable to exorbitant in; creases of rent, and to eviction with- . out any: protection whatever, that the war legislation which limits rents be embodied in ordinary Statutory law and that clause 56 of the Housing Act, 1919, be amended so as to secure to all tenants the protection at present accorded to soldiqrs, discharged soldiers, and the wives; and mothers of soldiers, and 'dis- ' charged soldiers.' Mr. Read said jt was the imperative duty of the Government to find houses for the people and to rase all the financial resources of the State to that end. A scandalous shortage of homes was being accompanied by enormous expenditure on motor garages, shops, and business buildings. The men'whb had the money would not built houses 'because other forms of building gave a better return. Mr. Massev would say that money was not available for home-building, but he had not hesitated to make tho financial interests "disgorgo their money for the purpose of death and destruction in Europe." He objeoted to the expenditure of money on "fripperies" during recent days, and, said that decorations should be provided' only for those who deserved them, that was, for the working people. Mrs. S. Snow (Housewives,' Union) asked all the women of Wellington to accompany the; deputation that .would present the petition to, Parliament. The women "were' the real sufferers from the housing shortage. Many of them to-day were pegging for a single' room in which to place their families. Five and six children \vere put into one room. Why did the women stand such thing 9? She advised them to refuse to leave their houses until other homes were found for them. Mrs. Snow denounced high rents and the bonus system. * • Mr. G. L. Glover (Waterside Workers Union) regretted the small attendance. The shortage of houses was general. The people who could build houses; were interested financially in maintaining the shortage.They had cornered the market, and they were selling their commodity in the highest market, just as, tho worker sold his labour for the best price obtainable. Tho remedy was to form rentpayers' union strong enough to hght the landlords. This union should put its own valuation, on tho houses and pay rent accordingly. That would be quite a simple thing to do. ,A' rentpayers' union could stop the rise of rents.. It would declare houses "black" and could prevent tenants "scabbing" on the organisation by .paying increased rents. The whole Labour 'body could bring pressure to,bear-on a "scab tenant," who paid a higher rent than the rentpayers' union considered to be just. Mr. A. Murray (Trades and Labour Council) argued that overcrowding was affecting the health of the communityi He mentioned a seven-roomed houso owned by "a Christian body," who had just raised the , rent from 325. Cd. to .62 10s. a week. , Councillor J. Glover emphasised that the shortage of huuses was world-wide, and that other countries were doing much more than New Zealand wao suing to solve the pro'bleir.. 'rne Dorniuion Government, was scarcely helping the people at all. If it was in earnest, it would not depend upon private enterprise for the supply of materials when it had tho power and the right to commandeer the sawmills, brickyards, find joinery works., A proper, town-planning scheme, was required, or the housing effort would simply perpetuate the coni. ditions of To Aro flit. 'The number, of houses per acre should be limited strictly, : and > every ■ block of* houses should have a playing area at its centre for the children. The houses that tho Government and the Railway Department wero now building were too close together and were "kennels" in size. , Mr. J. Arbuekle (Miners' Federation} said he belonged to one of the homeless families of Wellington. Ho had been in the city for nearly a year and was still living .in rooms. Tho shortage, of houses was world-wide. It had not arisen suddenly, and it. could not be due merely to the war. The people had to blame their own laxity in not giving attention to the housing question twenty years ago. Housebuilding had been left to nrivate enterprise, . which, as usual, had proved inefficient. Private enterprise had, found jnore profitable investments and so tho people lacked homes. He did not want to fight for low Tents and secure tenure of tho miserable hovels now occupied by many' workers. The hovels should. bo pulled down. . A great housing scheme was essential. Tho workers had provided nice large houses . for "thoar lords and masters." Now they must look after themselves. 'If t.hey did not, nobodf else would. Mr. Arbuekle quoted tho Board of Trade's condemnation of housing conditions in the"niin:ng townships. He did not believe the Government or the City Council would solve the problem. "The workers of Russia lived in hovels and were kicked and cuffed about as much as we arc being kicked and cuffed about to-day," :ho said. "They stood it for a number of years We find to-day that they have taken a,hand at the kicking and cuffing. (Applause.) They have kicked tho other fellow out of business, and the workers of Russia, are living now as'tho workers of any country should live. They are bringing forth a comprehensive scheme of housing, with one room for one person. If the New Zealand workers dc not wake up and take a hand,in the business as the workers of Russia have done they wiil be homeless for ever." ■ Mr. J. M'Kenzie (Labour Representation Committee) .said the workers were to blame for their-own troubles, rhej had no influence with the Government, Other peoplo had influence and theTe had never been any lack of accommodation for frozen mutton - and motorcars. New Zealand was not a progressive country, and its people should wake