SHORTAGE OF HOUSES.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 November 1918, Page 3

SHORTAGE OF HOUSES.

SYDNEY,- October 23. Those who seek for good accommodation in the big Australian ci%\s do not find their quest an easy one, and in recent years it has become very difficult to obtain a suitable house or fiat. Thousands of men have gone away to the war. and this might seem to lessen the population generally, but as a matter of fact war conditions are responsible for overcrowding in tlie cities. It appears that there is a marked tendency among the dependants of country soldiers, as soon as their man is gone, and they are drawing his allowances, to come and live in the city. The general result is scarce aceonimodatiofi ill the cities and plenty in the country. ()ther causes have contributed to a position that is now threatening to become serious. There is, for instance, the high cost of building material. Building is going on, but a great proportion of the normal building business is being held up in the hope that it may be carried out more cheaply after the war. Then there is the efiect ol the Fair Rents Court, which is peculiar to New South Wales. This unique institution governs rentals. Any tenant may appeal to the court to have his rent put on a fair basis ,and the Court’s finding holds for twelve months. Only the poorer classes of tenants seek the protection of the Court. The result is that builders are entirely n?(deeting the workman’s cottage ,and buildino- the -hiss residence and the fiat—particularly the flat. Great blocks of flats are rising all the time in and about S--dn.--Naturallv, the rentals of small cottages are soaring. One expert witness, the other day. said that he knew of a case where a landlord who _got 10s pet week for a Cottage before me war now got 30s for it. That was an exception al case, but an increase oi 100 per cent, was very common. Building specula tors wore greatly attracted by flats. In said—and it is not to be wondered ai when many of them are making 30 pel cent, on their outlay. Shrewd men insist that., with the bursting of tbesi ‘•boom times” speculators will be bad lv “stung” over their flats. —but siil I the flat buildings increase and multiply