MIRAMAR HOUSES

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 17, 14 October 1921, Page 7

MIRAMAR HOUSES

QUESTION OF INCREASED RENTALS DISSATISFIED TENANTS SEE MINISTER Dissatisfaction with th# financial arrangements in connection with the workers’ dwellings erected at Miramar under tho Government housing schemo was expressed yesterday by a deputation of tenants to the Minister of La- , hour, the Hon. G. J. Anderson. ' The Minister promised to refer the matter to Cabinet and to give a reply In tho shortest possible time. The deputation, consisting of about twenty workers, was introduced by Mr. F. N. Bartram, M.P. Tho spokesmen were Messrs. R. M'Keen, T. Sheerin, and A. Aitkon. The deputation was to have been led by Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., but indisposition prevented him from being present. I Mr. M'Keen spoke first. The {first bone of contention, ho said, was .with regard to tho drainage of the houses. Mr. Anderson: But that is in the hands of the City Council, not of the Department. Mr. M'Keen: We understand that the Department con force the council to expedite tho work. Mr. Anderson replied that the Department would bring pressure to bear <>n the council, but it had no power in the matter. “The City Council is in the camo position as is anyone else," he added. "It has no money." Mr. M'Keen: That’s no reason why the health of the people should be sacrificed. The next point emphasised was in regard to the ownership of houses. The speaker contended that the prices varied from £lOOO to £ll5O, and even £ll9B. Rent was noir being asked by the Do-, parttaent nt the rate of 30s. a week. "It is impossible for people with largo families to pay 30s. a week rent," ho added. He suggested that the Government should consider tho writing off of all values above the £lOOO mark, so that a reasonable rental could be arrived at . He thought that £1 Is. ltd. was a reasonable rental; but householders had been notified that the rents would be increased io 30s. Tho agreement to purchase stipulated £B5O as the price of the houses. While workers admitted there had been a material increase in the cost of building, they contended it was not possible for the increase to be such that so much had to Ire added to the capital vaAte of the houses. The Minister: You maintain, then, that because the houses cost more, the country should wipe off the difference in prices? At this stage, Mr. M'Keen alleged anomalies regarding tho contracts for the timber work of the houses. He also alleged that there had been unnecessary wastage in connection with tho building of the houses. Mr. Anderson Did yon know that there was waste going on’ before you purchased the houses? . Mr. M'Keen admitted that for some houses cement cost £4 a ton, and for others £9. Ha did not know how the Government estimated prices. "A bombshell" was the term used by Mr. Sheerin to describe the raising of the rentals to 30s. a week. The first increase, he eaid, had been to £1 145., but had later been reduced. Ho thought that the rents for the houses should not be more than £1 Ss. 7d. -That was high, because it excluded fencing and rates. He knew of a case in which a man with nine children, who earned £4 12s. 6d. a I week, had had hie rent increased to 30s. If he could not pay, it meant eviction. ~T7ook here!” said the Minister. “If ho has nine children, he won’t he evicted. Take that from roe.” "Could not the Government debit the Department with a certain amount, in order to put the houses on a level?" asked Mr. Sheerin. "They are the dearest in tho country." ”77 r. Anderson said that the houses were cheaper than the City Council houses. They cost about as much as those in Christchurch. Mr. Aitken contended that the Government was bound by a legal contract. "You’ve got nice houses," said Mr. Anderson, in reply. "For the money, they are cheap houses. I have been out to see them twice, and I have seen the houses in Auckland and Christchurch. You can't build cheap houses. Yours were built as cheaply as possible.” He added that a Government contract had been "muddled," but thq Government, nevertheless, had endeavoured to build as well as possible. Tn Auckland the authorities had’ not been able to obtain cement or timber, or certain other things, until the articles were imported. Consequently, the prices of the buildings could not be estimated accurately. “Then the slump came,” he said. "One can build more cheaply now. but who is going to bear the cost? I will bring tho matter before Cabinet, and legislation will have to be passed giving tho Government power to increase tho price of the houses. The Act prescribes tho limit. I am always in favour of each man building his own house. What would please one. might not please the other. I wouldn’t go behind «. legal binding agreement. But it is the first time I have heard men ask the Government to bear the cost of their houses!” Mr. M'Keen thanked the Minister on behalf of the deputation.