THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. “Public Service.” MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 1943. STATE HOUSING

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 32306, 30 August 1943, Page 4

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. “Public Service.” MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 1943. STATE HOUSING

It is not our purpose here to discuss the relative merits of the State Housing scheme ahd the claims of private enterprise to do a better job in the provision of homes for the people of the Dominion. Obviously a shortage of accommodation exists from the North Cape to the Bluff. The Government contends, and with some justification, that war conditions have prevented a continuance of the erection of the desired number of houses, while the migration of servicemen’s wives has made the position still more acute in centres adjacent to camps. But a good point was raised at a recent political meeting, and it is relevant to discussions on housing schemes. A State house in a city is provided an applicant at a rental which is approximately one-half of the weekly payment required by a private landlord. In the smaller towns, the State rental is the same as in the cities, but is actually greater than the rent usually required for a similar house leased by a private owner. For example, a Wellington man with a family was paying £3 5s per week for a house in a Capital City suburb. He was required to wacate the premises and was successful in his application for a State home equally attractive at 32s 6d per week. The rental of 32s 6d is charged for the same Government unit in the country where no landlord could successfully claim £3 ss. The law of demand and supply forces the city rents to an absurd leyel. Absurd because no working man can afford £3 5s per week, and yet he must find a home for his wife and children. There is an anomaly, without doubt, and if the present Government is returned to office, and in the near future goes ahead with the erection of more State houses, there must be some adjustment made to ensure that the tenants of such 1 houses are paying rents based on the rates prevailing in the various districts. Otherwise the powers that be would be well advised to confine their activities to the cities and, by removing restrictions, give full rein to private enterprise in the smaller centres of the Dominion.