Fettered by Poverty and Surrounded by Decay

NZ Truth, Issue 1239, 29 August 1929, Page 1

Fettered by Poverty and Surrounded by Decay

HOME, SWEET HOME IN A SLUM

DISREGARDED BY HEALTH AUTHORITIES

THE state m which representatives of this, -.paper J found the back . areas , of Baker Street concerned, was revolting to both sight and smellY ■- y v. vy. ; .. '/■••// vyy/vy y ■"■*.- Smallyhandsful of earth which constituted, the potential yplaygrouhds of" childi-eri were knee-deep m a rank tangle of grass; and weeds, steaming with fetid odors which the sun's -ray.s drew from the sodden //earth; weatherboarding and the flooring of what once %yere Verandahs rotten /with, borer' and age;" dark, forbidding boxes of rooms littered with the "Aw^o^r +v Q « n * +v* „., wood-bug; filthy sinks and, filthier conveniences. <

Six of these places range m a row down . o ne side of Baker Street, and it is significant that even the' poor folk who could not afford ;. 'better /. Accom mo d a -t i 6 n which they riiight call "Home" had, kept thesfe places empty /for some months, choosing to , share' houses with others rather than live m them

Nor was the <iue.sti.6ri; .of insanitary surroundings the. , paramount / element. There' is scarcely ''< more th^iri the' width of a man's shoulders ybetweeh the weather-boarding /of one, 'house; and the wooden exterior. of the next, so .the fire risk; is enormous. V Vvy ' .-.■ ':""•■-"'■ '■-,'>. The . unfortunate Vogcu pants? of--*' such premises, would bfi ' faced -. with - the fear of undermined ; health from'; their;, ■ sur.r. rbun'dings, abetted by the kppreiiensipri that should .fire break- out 'while Vthey slept, m all likelihood ! it would lick its way. . stealthily: around/their tenements and trap, -thfini' m a fiery' .circle "of death; from: which v! " ;';>.-.'•"."■" ";, there would; be but little chance of escape

.One lady who lives opposite /one . of . y those dweliihg-y : v place's;; Vas -loiud; iriyherV pro testations that the /Auckland City ' CouritJil should I?er^it such buildings' to remain -stand-' iffg^-yv ■ :h7\y ...".•.'..•-' -..--■'. y .'■■.• ■:'•■■'■'. . '■■■

; ' "We have three.- cats; here,, arid they're kept 1 pretty busy' with the rats .which come' across'the .street from those houses there.- (pointing with her finger) ..'.-and it's high time Hannah was" made "io ; p'ul I them . down. y."' : --

"Nobody lives m them, and vl, should think not, , either;..' There hasn't 'been anyone there for Sortie time— the whole lot ought to. be- condemned yi wouldn't live -m one -of . them, riot . if V Hainnan offered it rent free?' : V ; •

The galvaniseid. iron roof .whichyin places, ;" covered the rear portion of a Baker Street; house wasv warped^ and shrivelled to such an extent that the heavy rains must have poured steadily through the air cracks which '.bridged' the gaps -between .. - ' ; '•"

door arid Untely allowirig *■"*■"' wa t er to enter the house. :■;'■' One of the photographs reproduced .

on this page demonstrates this feature very clearly, otherwise-why sh'quld the single strip of iron have been nailed beneath the guttering? The back areas of both: Cook and Baker Streets are fecund sources' af breeding for mosquitoes and .flies, the sodden ground split by shallow hollows filled with stagnant water, arid fringed with iiridergrowth and, creeper that collects the, moisture of* dew and rainfall, then emits,/ it in-y the form of a clammy; evil-smelling moisture which rises Avith tlie heat of the sun.* ;. y '.y. ■'_•. I A narrow alleyway called Killowen Place that runs at right angles from Cook Street,' provides ample material for investigation by Ideal health authorities^;; v ' y y The Place, itself, roughly; forms a "T" m shape, houses lining the stem : of the "T" and further houses a.t the top forming the crown of? the letter, and a cul-de-sac. . V ; y ? . Soine 'Of these were m a shocking s.tate- of repair wheriv.^'Truth" made an investigation — weather - boaivis' arid

Mot Wafer&dof

/riffle^

Ramshackle and Insanitary Houses Found I^B

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative)

Poverty is a problem with i\nife-sharp edges, whetted continuously on the grindstone of part-time employment and housing conditions that often bring ill-health and a broken morale. At the time when"N.Z.Truih" made its investigations concerning , some of Auckland's meaner streets, several houses owned by John Henry Hannan m Baker and Cook Streets were decrepit, crumbling premises patched here and there with dabs of paint and cheap wallpaper, while some of the backyards were noisome. ( . ,

window-caseirients shrunken to such. a degree; that oniyv people with remarkably sound- could withstand- the ravages of dampness and draught; V Vi'iclietty verandah floors; ihalodbrous kitchen sinks; dark rooms.

• At. the .loot' of, the ': "T" , arid, facing Cook " Street ; vistood a "dwelling," arid it; was; herg:that^ *;Tru.tti".' : was-given, the inkling of \vliat. might exist farther' up the. alley way.' •

„. Poky, and' ill-lit, dank with the pervasive reek of sodden ground and de- ' composing, . crumbling wood, a-r shrill /with the whistling draughts -whi ch came through the crannies that gaped -■ iri< w - the^earywalle,

the wholeyhpi-se y was any ironic,; .commentary ythose authorities;" who point with pri;de /tp tlie „ degree of efficiency Vexercised' in "their departments. y.And the. "garden!" A miserable area of greasy -mud, churned up by the ,ti-ampiing ; of many feet and the splashing downpours of rain which* had fallen two daj^s before.

At eiectioii times, New Zealanders accustom their ears to. the cry, "Thank God, there are ho slums m New Zealand." ; But," .unfortunately, there are people ih this country who live and rear : children under conditions which constitute an ironic coriimentary on that pi'oud. boast. .' ,

V No matter. how. cleanly their habits, they frequently suffer the persistent disadvantage of bad drainage, clearly exemplified a short while ago by one ■ '•'■ -V"'- "."■: of Hannan's houses

m Killowen Place, at the end of the "T" arm. The lady who occupied this place was good enough to show "Truthls" representative through the various rooms, all of which were clean/revealing also how much may be made of comparatively scanty material arid a tightened purse. The interior condition pf this particular houseyvas moderately good, but the sanitary arrangements from kitchen and bath were execrable. ' The verit pipes from these two places, led underneath the house itself, conveying the water from the kitchen sink and the bath on to the ground, forming a rivulet from beneath the house and thence along the path which ran between -house and fence. Children played around this house;, played their innocent games amid. the ever-rising dampness and -- odor from the tainted water that, surged from the. waste vents to the . ground, impregnating the soil with' odorous matter that impaired the health of those who lived and slept m the/house above. if /ever -there was ah hygienic drainage system from house to sewer it

must yhave. ceased to function .some time before ''Truth", paid a visit to, the place, since the trap from the kitchen vent was; bound with a mildewed scrap' of olbtli" which smelled horribly of ,f ustj/ ,"., f pqcLVparticles and- other waste matter, while 'ihe path ' between . house and Vf ence wa's ; 'an; absolute}; bog.i vV. y

And rents .. asked b'yyHaririari . /tot

places of the nature outlined ranged between £1 and 27/6 a week. In a ramshackle "dwelling" which flanks the left-hand side of Killowen Place, an old man was pottering about with a paint brush and a tin of dark, red paint, stuffing the cracks with a tacky liquid, dabbing it here and there m panels which showed the ravages of decay. • "Do you mind if we take a look around?" he was asked. M Oh, no," came the reply, and forthwith "Truth" commenced an inspection

of each room, noting .the- draughty, chill-swept atmosphere Vpf-., the back premises, the dirty,.', odorous kitchen sink,, the. dampness arid; fusty smelt.

/ "But ypudon't want ,a house," objected , he of ;.they paint brush, \yheri a fewmihutes; later . he ' came uiwhyhis yisitors careiully ;theysanitary ' arraiigemen ts r '. ,bu t' : wh en ; he; was

asked, "Whatever made you. think that?" he seemed more at ease. Apparently satisfied, the man . then offered to show them over a place which formed the right-hand' arm of the "T," and marked "TO LET. 'PHONE 25-386." . The front rooms were m fair condition, but. the kitchen was m a terrible state — water- soaked boarding from which the wall-paper was curling away. "'•'".. Along one wall, water had insinuated

itself between ■ wood and paper, while half of the wallpa.per was "curled back upon the remaining half of -the wail area. y.y-yy: ■*■...: ;.y y 7.7.-..- -„._';■ '.'Truth" upon the. number of diff eren % -papers ,. s v peririip osed . .one uporiythe other,; but; the 7 agent-cum-; renovatpr said:. "Oh, "there're about two, ytha.t's all," but was nonplussed when at least fdur-dirty-ibbkihg^sec-tions, Veach differing' yln'V-desfgni- vwe^'e poiritedVbut for -his' irispectibft;y-V "' . y% < "H'rii," A was . his ' ■''•'■■•''. V ' V" '--A. : -

oniy -comment; ana „ with that he went on to explain how the previous tens antsy h^d-ill.^^d'^

;'they'backywindcjws"yy '.;■:•, ■-:>■■.-■■" .iVij,^.: : ytafe'r inyih* i afteri^briy''TKith" knocked Updn.- ;the.ydoor ■ Vbf,; a ; tumbleKd.o'wn Jipuse ' riot ,6wned by • Hannan, .arid asked the', lhan ywho ■;.'; came to the door whether he knew the rent charged for a certain small place not far. from his own; ' The. house m 'question was I -.one of three, - jammed - closely- together^ * their bedraggled front gardens, crazy windows and uninviting ..back-yards mute testimony to the way m which some of the poor, grubby little mites who played their, games, nearby had been cradled through theii- early" years. "About a quid a week," Jhe man responded,, then: "You thinkiri' .o' buyin' a place ? I'm leavin'.-: Auckland and -you could have THIS : arid the one. next door (jerkirig liis head) for .twelvefifty the two. ;V : , '■■-'■ "I get six quid a. week out of these two places— weight rooms in' this bhe

ana tour m the other, at ten bob a . time. Darn' good - pr op os i tio n if you're thinkin' o'. buyin'." -

A casual glance . • .-■ ••■--••• at the two houses^— built well belo\i the. road and looking not at all invitin. —prompted the response that' it certainly SEEMED a darn' good proposition, but it \ required a little thihkin. over, and with that the, two parties bade each other, a cheerful "Goodday." . " If the offer were a genuine one, thei it remains a startling commentary, .or some landlords' bank credits. The Auckland city health departmen' later adriiitted that an inspection of tht neighborhood around Killowen Place had not been conducted for . at leasi six months. In all probability the majority of it; officers were enforcing the pettifogging sections and sub-sections of its healfi regulations m the more ■■. prosperoui quarters of the city, instead of concentrating a closer scrutiny' ori td th< poorer sectors. . - Two days later "Truth" rang 25-386 "What do you want with me?" came the voice of Mr. Hannan. "You were trespassing on my; prop-

Uninviting Yards

What Hantian Said

erty the other day, and then you went to the Health Department, inquiring about my property. I don't -want to see anyone who. is hostile ■ yto'*me.""y ■'■'!' ' : "We simply; desire a brief conversaI tion with you," Mr. Hannan waa in- ' formed, ''concerning, your properties m Baker Street and Killowen Place and "What right have you to interfere with my affairs?" hotly dema.hded the voice at '/the other end.

<r We don't choose to interfere with the private affairs of any individual, but as the matter m hand goes a little further than that \ve ask y;ou to grant the courtesy of a persohial talk," was the response. "What ' right have you to go to • the health authorities arid make , iriquiries about my business? . You . are

hostile to me

a n d I- don't Qwant to see. anybody, who is hostile."

"Truth's" response to this outburst was: "We ask you to be fair with us and with yourself — a telephone conversation m a matter such as this is not fair to either party, particularly to yourself." . ."Well, w^ito tne a. lettei'T-put it m black an d r white-^aind. I '-might" answer "itV-.'Jy '..:. ... -' . "■" . ."Then yvve jrtust take it that- you re-. fusi-.tp.^ee^us.?" « -. , -• .; : ./'Piit it m black ahd white,", and.' with that,vc.ame the' loud "click" of the rer ■'• ' -'■.'-■' .' .• .- y".' ceiver hook ydt the

other end. Next morning two representatives of ,thj is..;, -paper. ..^ rWj.e^jv.t. •.ou\"tV I ''tro-:-'V'.Victbria

■■: ' ■•:.- '-yy-' :'•-■': -7 7yy->, V- ' Ayehue'y- - ;Reniuera, '%hWe' : : 't'h'e / ';-.6ld'.gentl6ri!.aii'' lives. The front rooms- of the house' were bibsely. screened' yb^yvenetian blinds, ahd when at 'first there cameno reisbonse to- the knock on the door it was thought that there was no pne v at iionje, but a second knock brought Mrs. Hannan. "Yes, what!, is,' it?" she demanded, i rather sharply. • ■" "You're from one of the papers, aren't you?" When the two callers disclosed their identity, Mrs. Hannan then opened the door- to the right of the ■ . hall,and leading into the room where the Venetian blinds were closely drawn. Closing the door, Vshe said, loudly:, "Someone from :"' one Vof the papers, wants to see you about some houses." "Tell 'ein to put it iri black and white,-' came .the answer, and the door

opened once again.' "You put it m black and white," Mrs. Hannan intimated, y wo . ma-jr

, • ■'■''", take it that Ivlr. v Hannan refuses to see us?" was the . question. - "You put it , ln. black .■■ and white," the - lady retorted, slamming the d00r.,. » Just before they reached the front ? gate the two newspaper men wheeled quickly, and were just m time to observe Hannan peering at them i through one of -the slats of the Venetian i biind, ere ,he quickly withdrew from ' sight. t The object of '"Truth's" visit was to s discuss the whole matter with this 3 aged landlord, to see Whether he was t willing to adjust the conditions then prevailing around and m some of his 3. houses, but without avail, and the » only satisfaction they could- secure t from him was the monotonous reply: a '-Put it in 'black and white." . 7 j_. Hanrian's is not an isolated case. 2 There are dozens of other landlords m .. New 'Zealand who constitute a fttrikihg I.' commentary upon the mariner iii- which the-; rent restriction clauses are yenforced, and of the disregard which . ; some local authorities have'; for the requirements of the health acts.