17 IN SIX ROOMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20107, 29 November 1939, Page 4

17 IN SIX ROOMS

HOUSING PROBLEM GISBORNE SHORTAGE MUCH OVERCROWDING OTHERS ALMOST EMPTY PLAN FOR PENSIONERS The acute shortage of homes in Gisborne at present was mentioned at last night’s meeting of the Gisborne Borough Council, when the prevalence of overcrowding was the subject of a report, which stated that at the same time many elderly people occupied dwellings too large for their requirements.

The town clerk, Mr. W. M. Jenkins, stated that the sanitary inspector, Mr. T. Turley, had been engaged recently in making a house-to-house inspection, his attention being directed mainly to the older types of dwellings in the borough. “The conditions revealed in a number of cases are far from satisfactory,” the report stated, “and where a requisition for essential repairs has been served, some landlords have intimated they would prefer their houses to remain vacant rather than carry out repairs, for the rent.'if received, does not warrant the outlay. "Particularly Bad Case”

“Overcrowding also appears to be prevalent, and one particularly bad case is a house containing four bedrooms and two living rooms occupied by 17 persons, Europeans, nearly all of whom are over the age of IS years. “Then again there are houses occupied by elderly people—pensioners, for instance—too large for their requirements. If blocks of pensioners' flats were available, similar to those erected in some of the larger towns, these houses could be occupied by persons with families.

“The completion of the railway also will accentuate the housing problem, unless relieved in the meantime. It is natural to assume that the family man employed on the construction work, on the termination of his employment, will move to Gisborne, being the nearest town.” Search for Houses

The Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., said that most of the information had been revealed in the housing survey made by the council recently, and the sanitary inspector was following up the matter. He urged that the report should be sent to the Minister of State Housing. The housing shortage was so acute that he had people coming to him practically every day in the week asking if he knew where they could secure a home.

Cr. J. H. Hall said that the case of 17 people living in one house was a bad one. The Mayor: And where are they to go?

It was. agreed to send a copy of the report to the Minister of State Housing.