THE HOUSING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 2, 27 September 1921, Page 6

THE HOUSING PROBLEM

POSITION IN WELLINGTON REPORT TO R.S.A. EXECUTIVE A report on the housing problem in Wellington based on investigations he had made was presented to the executive of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association by Air. A. Fair on Saturday. When the Government declared its intention to suspend the Miramar housing scheme, Air. Fair said lie had approached tko Department on the question of assisting soldiers who required dwellings. As a result of his investigations, he bad, found that the association was unable’ fo make progress in the matter. In Wellington the housing problem had been approached from three different sources —bj- the Railway Department, by the City Council, and by the labour Department in the Aliramar scheme. Tn, regard to the first two methods, the cost of the houses wns. from the association's standpoint, too high. The City Council was erecting dwellings at atout £l5OO each, and the rentals of the Government houses at Afiramar had recqiitly Ireen raised to 30s. per week. TTie high rentals had induced a number of tenants to -subdivide their houses and let rooms. ’The real solution of the problem seeqied to be the encouragement of private enterprise, or leaving the work to small contractors who could build for than the present .current figures. He recommended the executive to take ro action for the present, x and to let the matter stand over* for,six month? in the hope that conditions would improve in tho meantime. Air. W. E. I-eadley thought present, 'conditions warranted further inquiry than Air. Fair had made. He understood that while a single house built in concrete would not cost less than £9OO, there was 5Uj>S tanjjnl. economy i,n the construction of "such houses in blocks. Air. ‘Frtir said that that was the method followed nt Miramar. The Wellington R.S.A. was building two houses nt Hutt, and he thought it advisable to await the result of that experiment. Air. T. Teng urged the ass<xnation to assist nnv movement in the direction of town planning 'and decent housing conditions for the people. Air D S. Smith thought the true eolutiou of the problem lay in private enter* nrise. The Government should giant a tonus to those who were enterprising enough to build their own houses. The president (Sir Andrew Russell) said the difficulty was that a man on an ordinary salary could ‘ his own house. No man m receipt of a low wage should be expected to pay more than a pound a week in rent. Air C. W. Batten said that any sort of habitable dwelling now cost from £- * 17r el Leadlev d Btated that he had been informed hr’a contractor that while a Xgl e nouso cost,., say £9OO, a jroup_of 30 or 40 emild be built for about £.OO each Local authorities, he urged, should tike upJhe housing question on those I”mt J. D- Harper said there-was rear son to liopo that in a few months time the present financial stress would be considemblv relieved and that building would then be in Tull swing. Tf was decided that the committee should procure further information oh the subject.