HOUSING IN THE CITY

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 87, 13 April 1938, Page 12

HOUSING IN THE CITY

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —The result, of the housing survey disclosing an acute housing shortage demonstrates the effect of the various unjust and arbitrary restrictions that have been applied in a sole direction upon the private house owner. He alone has been singled out for the ruthless application of the axe. He is apparently being regarded as an exploiter of the people, and *his lot is being made unduly hard. However hard be his lot there is definitely no hope of his.being able to quit his burden at the moment, and he is going to remain a very necessary but unappreciated cog in the social economy. If anyone seeks to avoid imminent trouble I would advise them at all 'costs to keep miles away from any house-letting proposition. The Wellington Corporation a few years, ago embarked upon a workers' dwellings', crusade, but apparently it required only three years' experience of the scheme to dispel any illusions they held as to its suitability as a municipal venture. ' Similarly the Christchurch Council a few-years ago embarked upon a like form of municipal enterprise and sank a considerable amount of capital upon the scheme. Ido not know what the over-all balance-sheet disclosed, but the finance committee's report is sufficiently illuminating: the scheme ended "in disastrous financial results." These experiences are simply typical .of house-letting results whether by the State, municipal authorities, or private owners. The Wellington Corporation, however, is very wise, in so far as the ratepayers are concerned at all.events, in offering council-owned land to the State. Herein there is a definite revenue assured, whereas on the other hand a full return of rentals from houses erected by municipal authorities is largely problematical. Now about the alleged rent exploitation in the case of apartment-houses which is "starred" in the report. The phrase "house farming" would seem to be a hostile description applicable only in a few cases which have been combed out of hundreds or possibly thousands. Assuming the figures are correct the return shown means that every room is occupied each and every week. Well, if this is so there are still some extraordinarily lucky people about. Surely, too, the room tenants are not fools who would continue unnecessarily to occupy highpriced rooms, and the competitive factor should soon bring about a reasonable balance. x Apparently the solution of the problem is to provide opportunities for the workers to provide homes for themselves, to care for and improve which is in their own interests; and in this connection it might be mentioned that through the, operations of private building societies through the Dominion thousands of workers have provided homes for themselves in the past and at the same time released many other homes for occupation.— I am, etc.,

OBSERVANT.