THE SLUM

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10285, 21 May 1919, Page 7

THE SLUM

A BIG PROBLEM CABINET MINISTER ON HOUSING QUESTION. When the Hon. G. W. Russell addressed the Town-planning Conference yesterday, he referred at length to the housing problem. I ''The total number of inhabited private dwellings and tenements at the census of 1916," he said, "was 283,066, of which in round numbers 9731 consisted of one room, 9577 of two rooms, 11,695 of three rooms, 51,396 of four rooms, and 60,197 of five rooms; thus, of the total, 142.596 were of five rooms or less. "One of the greatest problems, of the present day—and it has been tremendously accentuated by the war—is that of providing for the housing of the people. The increase in kind values caused, by the growth of cities is one of the primary causes of high vent. Nest in importance comes the increase in the cost of building material of all kinds, more particularly I timber, plus the increase of the cost of labour caused by the higher standard of living of to-day as compared with past years. Two attempts have been ' made to supply the want of homes in New Zealand. Under the State Advances Act down to March 31st, 1918, £3,473,000 bad been advanced to workers to enable them to purchase or erect their homes, the total number of loans outstanding on that, date being 9511. Also 648 workers' dwellings had been erected by the State under the Workers' Dwelling Act, 1905, and its amendments. "The power given to municipal corporations to erect workers' homes has not been availed of. I am satisfied that this country must emibark upon a great • scheme, for housing the people, and that we must talk in millions on this subject if we are to have a happy and a contented people. _ Revolution and anarchy are not bred in the homes of men who have happy homes and do- ; lightful gardens; its spawn comes from.; the crowded tenement, the squalid environment, and the slum. I ZONAL SYSTEM FOR TRAMS AND t TRAINS. "How, then, may we seek to obviate the evils of overcrowding, not only for the present but for the future? I want at ftbiW point to draw your attention to the fact that the increase in the cities of Great Britain has arisen not only from its industries, but has been simultaneous with the growth of its railway system. . It is the railways of- Great Britain which have depleted the rural districts and built up the cities and towns. The question is, can we so adjust our tramway and railway systems as to give them a centrifugal action and not a centrlpotal. In other words, can we so adapt our transit system as to use it In order to encourage the spreading of the people out from the cities rather than forcing them, into the nities and towns? I think we can. I, therefore, venture to assert that what is known as the zonal system of railway traffic must be applied to our railways and tramways if we are to encourage people to live at a distance from their employment, and thus prevent the overcrowding of our towns. "The system is a simple one, and can be briefly described as a method of railway charge by which instead of a mileage basis a universal fare is charged within a fixed area, which is called the zone. Under this | system the fare would be the same for/ seven miles or ten miles —whatever might be declared 'the zone—from the railway station, instead of as at present each separate mile increasing the charge of the worker to and from his employment in the city. A second and third zone could be provided. The advantages of it would be evident. If this scheme were adopted, the only tax upon the man would be the time occupied in travelling, and not a monetary charge. 1 am satisfied that the idea, if worked out, provides the key to the situation, and would do more to prevent congestion in our cities and to spread population into the outer area' than any other proposal which has been made. A UNIVERSAL FARE.

"Were this principle of railway and tramway charges determined upon in order to .secure the financial results, the people living near the centres might have to pay a somewhat higher rate in order to secure a universal fare within the area, but the good of the whole community must bo considered, and it will be evident that the mileage charge is a persistent block against the extension of our cities and towns-from our centres outwards. Were the principle 'given effect to, Wellington would ere long extend itself to the Lower Hutt district, or even further if a second zone were established. lit would include the whole of the country as far as Porirua on the Manawa'tu line, and thus large areas of residential sites would rapidly be brought within the scope of the city.

"Some of you may regard these as dreams; I can assure you they are no*. They are a practical looking into the future to the when our four cities will have attained many times their present population, and it is the business of this generation to lay down the methods by which those who come sifter us will be able to say we have not neglected our duty to posierity. The same principle is applicable to our rising towns like Wanganui, Paiknerston North, Hamilton, Timaru, Invercargill, and others similarly situated, and on exactly the same .methods, namely, that of the zonal system, provision would be made for their extension in the days to oome."