HOUSING, WELL-BEING AND INTELLIGENCE.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 58, 19 April 1912, Page 4

HOUSING, WELL-BEING AND INTELLIGENCE.

Tho "Herald" had a leading article on the new Houses of Parliament, in which we hud the following;: "How far the somewhat mean surroundings of the temporary building in which Parliament If as been housed for the last few years has affected the character of the legislation that has been added to the (Statute Rook during that period is a matter that may bo left to the psychologists to determine, but it may be accepted as a general rule that a Parliament that is cabined, cribbed and confined in the manner that tho Parliament of Mew Zealand has been since 1908 is not likely to be distinguished for its good and efficient work." A few weeks ago we were (old of the scarcity of houses in Auckland, and that, a large number of families were compelled, owing to the high rents, to live two or more families in one house. The "Herald" commends the building of a new Parliament llotiso because it will re-act on the intelligence, of the Legislature and make for good government. Any psychologist will tell us that if good housing is necessary for tho temporary visits of tho law-makers to Parliament, where they spend a very small portion of their lives, it is tenfold more important for tho jwople's homes, where tho greater part of the lives of our citizens is spent. Further, as a. representative can only represent the average intelligence of the electors, the real foundation of good laws and good administration ia in our homes. Socialists insist on good housing as bho first condition of good homes. For the same reason, we al.so»fight for better wages and better working conditions. We know by actual experiencethat wlmtlcall tlio "ladder of civilisation" is built of the, following steps:— A more certain and reliable income. A larger and more convenient home. More leisure in which to study things outside one's business ar.d to enable one to know and love tho. beautiful and good -ir. art, literature. and science. The proof of this if found in every city aJid community mi the world, where tho great majority of its most respected citizens have gene up the ladder in this way: A little better income, increased home opportunities, and a little more leisure. wjjJi the chance of knowing (■•omrthifig of the world's best gifts.

"WlinT has served these will serve others. There is no other way of lifting up i-l.c uliele people. Socialists know, as a matter of lint and history, thai all advances in civilisation have cone' as non have learned to make the light lor mere material existence easier; and wiiile we arc rank materialists in our politics and our industrial scheme? we are so not for the merely material things of life, but because (■nee those tilings are made sure and abundant, all the graces and arts of a civilisation higher and better than any yet experienced are the sure and certain fruit. There is only one royal road to a proper housing of our citizens, viz., that the community itself shall build and own the houses. All other schemes must fail. In all private building the success of the builder is judged by the amount of profit he makes. If the bouses are sound, sanitary, commodious, and the builder's percentage only 4 or o per cent., it is at once seen that he could have done better with his capital by not building. If, on the other hand, the 'houses are jerry-built, small and unhealthy, but the'profit of the builder is 20 or 2,1 per cent, this would be a great success according to present-day ide.as. Pro lit of this kind, made out of housing the citizens of aJiy town or nation, is absurd ; the only real profit is in the mini her of healthy, vigorous, and intelligent citizens, while the profit of the private speculator is in exactly inverse ratio to this. He only builds for rent and profit, and if he built sufficient houses to house all the community oommo'li'uisly and well, his ruin Would lolimv. ' Mc know that wh"ti two Khauls are r-eekinii one house, rents go up to eh" utmost. limit tenants cau afford; v.hih with two houses seeking one fennel, rents must fall, to the complete ruin of the builder and the owner. Private building thus puts us into the ridiculous position that if private builders gave a full supply of houses they would bring commercial ruin upon themselves; and for soll-nreson ati'on those who are supposed to have the business of housing must take care that the people are not properly housed. Here, again, Socialism provides the only real and logical remedy. It is the business of the community to house its citizens. No one else can do it. Tlio late Prime Minister does not kno■■'■' everything. Starting the building of a score of workmen's dwellings at Wellington, he said: "A strong public opinion backing this scheme would soon bring down extortionate rents." As the majority of the people arc tenants, the strong public opinion against extortionate rents is there now, but rents steadily go up. Let the Government build 1000 houses in Wellington, and rents will fall rapidly.