MIRAMAR HOUSES

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 55, 28 November 1921, Page 3

MIRAMAR HOUSES

MINISTER MAKES AN INSPECTION FRANK ADVICE TO TENANTS The Minister in charge of the Housing Department (Hon. G. J. Anderson) paid a visit of inspection to the Government houses at Miramar on Saturday afternoon. He had stated his willingness to meet the tenants and hear on the spot any complaints that they might wish to make. About half a dozen tenants met the Minister and drew his attention to some minor matters, including a leak in a roof and a couple of broken fences. The complaints relating to tho condition of tho. houses were not of a serious nature. Mr. Anderson promised that reasonable complaints would receive attention, but he indicated his opinion that the occupiers ought to be prepared to help themselves to some extent.

Tho questions of price and rent were mentioned, and the Minister gave some frank advice to the tenants. He said that they would be treated as favourably as possible. But the fact that the houses had cost a certain amount of money had to bo faced. Somebody had to pay for the houses, and he thought that the proper people to pay were the occupiers. ' If the Government was to pay part of the cost of the houses, and thus make a present to the purchasers, it might fairly be suggested that there should be a ballot, so that every citizen of Wellington-might have a chance to draw one of the prizes. The Minister advised the tenants to look at the matter in a business-like way. The cost of building admittedly was high at the present time, and the houses had cost more than the original estimate; but they were good value for tho money on tho values to-day, and hundreds of people would be glad to take them on the terms proposed by the Housing Department. The tenants were being offered tho right te buy the houses on an easy instalment system, with a veiy small deposit and ,p very low rate of interest on the unpaid balance of the purchase money. He did not think they were making a bad bargain.