THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

Otaki Mail, Volume 27, 12 November 1919, Page 4

THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

To the Editor. Sir,—l see by your report of Otaki Town Board meeting that exception was taken to certain buildings in Otaki, and enquiries are to be made. No doubt the reference is to the dwellings elected and used by the Chinamen — practically the only workers on the land who have not adopted a "goslow" policy. x\t Mr Macdonald's election address, when asked the question how ho would deal with tho housing problem, the candidate replied that he had built a nikau whare and lived in it till he could aliord better. As everyone knows, at the present time a decent dwelling is very difficult to get, and routs are very high, tiome municipalities have temporarily removed tho biulding restrictions on that account. Many are going in for a comprehensive building scheme. Could not our Town Board arrange for a loan and erect a few decent houses in- Otaki, so that workers could get one at a reasonable rent? From experience I can say a nikau whare is a very comfortable duelling to live in". No doubt no insurance company would take a risk on any furniture in one of them. I do not advocate the Town Board following Mr Macdonald's advice. This is a question where it might be advantageous for the local authority to adopt a "goslow" policy. The Parliamentary election will be held shortly, and in all probability a Government will be returned to powor who will not artificially inflate the price of land to fictitious values by purchasing improved estates at high prices when there is plenty of valuable Government land only waiting means of access to be made valuable producing land. Also it has to be taken into consideration that those who aro now paying fictitious prices for land will soon bo competing in the European markets with the twelve or fifteen million Gern an farmers who have had to emigrate to South America, as also the normal pre-war competition. The cost of living in New Zealand may then come down to normal, and dwellings be rented at a reasonable price.—l am, etc., "LIVE AND LET LIVE."