THE HOUSING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 202, 21 May 1920, Page 8

THE HOUSING PROBLEM

■ 4 ' A RENTPAYERS' UNION TO BE FORMED IN WELLINGTON i The proposal made by a speaker at the recent housing demonstration at the Town Halt that a ratepayers' union should be formed is about to take definite shape in Wellington. Mr. H. Dyson (president of tho Labour ■Representation Committee) informed a Dominion reporter yesterday that a meeting of tenants would be called in a few days' time for the purpose of form- . ing some sort of protective organisation, .'lready a great number of applications for membership had been received. Mr. Dyson said his own opinion was that such n body should ho non-party and non-political. One of the principal planks in the platform of the new union would be that members who had received, notices of eviction would refuse to vacate their dwellings until other houses had been found' for them to live in. "However,-" remarked Mr. Dyson, "we trust tlmt nothing in the way of 'direct fiction' will be necessary, as it is hoped that tho whole position regarding the shortage of houses will be cleared up as foon as possible. This thing has got to be brought to n head, and tho quicker this is done tho sooner a solution of the housing question will lie found. It is pitiful to hear every day the heartbreaking stories of women with Inrgo families who are suffering because of the shortage of houses." ■ Mr. Dyson Mentioned that the worst case that had come under notice in Wellington was that of a woman who, with her five children, was living in one room on Te Aro flat, There was absolutely no heating or cooking accommodation of any kind, and the children had not had a properly-cooked meal for weeks. The housing shortage was not confined to Wellington. An authentic caso'had been reported to him where a man and his wife, three children. and his wife's sister were living in a cowshed iust outside the town of Masterton. The bails of the shed had been removed, and the size of the place was only 22ft. by 12ft. Through the instwmentalitv of the assistant sanitary inspector, a bed and better shelter had been found for the man's wife and her eiste-. but up to the present the six people had to have their meals in tho cowshed. There was also another caso near Masterton where a man with a wife and five children had been unable to find .a house, so the man had constructed a temporary shelter out of some packingcases. kerosene tins,. and sacking. In Masterton there was an nccommodationhouso of thirty-four' rooms, in which fourteen families, including; thirty-seven children, resided. "Tf tho public could only have a real idea of what is . taking place in their midst." continued Mr. Dyson, "there would be such a howl of indignation that something would have to bo done, We are satisfied that it can bo done, and the Government will have to tackle the question''right from the lwttom, and organise industrv and the supply of building material." Mr. Dyson added that lie was glad to note that steps, were being taken by the Government to put a stop to unnecessary building, ■ "It looks," lie- concluded, "as if things are beginning to move,"