WORKERS LIVE “OUT”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 951, 19 April 1930, Page 5

WORKERS LIVE “OUT”

DISAPPOINTMENT AT OTAHUHU DIFFICULTIES OF HOUSING AA'hcn it was announced that railway workshops were to be built at Otahuhu the businessmen of that centre faced the future with a feeling of pleasurabh anticipation. They anticipated an influx of about 900 men—representing 3.000 members of families—and a lasting boom. Today disappointment prevails. Otahuhu has begun to realise that Otahuhu’s population increase has nobeen as large as was expected. Tru» . there has been an increase, but a comparatively small one. The arm> of 3.000 has proved a phantom. The truth is that more than 60 per cent, of the workers at the shops lia\ > their homes elsewhere. Some are in Swanson, some in Fapatoetue. sonv are still further afield. Each day thRailway Department runs a specie; ‘ train for their benefit from Xcwmarkc* to the shops themselves The train carries 357 men an.i another passenger train from Auok land brings ISO men. A few more perhaps 50 or 60 men, arrive on th Papakura line. out of 900 men employed at th Otahuhu workshops 600 live outsiti • tho district. Though the business pcopie of Ota huhu consider this an unreasonab! state of affairs, the departmental explanation is a simple one. It is explained that many of the raei own their own homes in Auckland and elsewhere and cannot be expected to sell them even if such a move were possible or profitable these day Others who were transferred from Petone still own houses there and cannot do moro than lease in Otahuhu. “A process of settling down after tho boom of throe years ago is inevitable,” says the Mayor of Otahuhu. Mr. IT. T. Clements. The borough, he said, had no complaint to make about the position at the railway workshops. Already there were about 200 new houses at Mangero Crossing that owed their existence directly to the opening of tho workshops, and although they were not actually in the l orough, they were served by Otahuhu tradesmen, and the occupants did the great bulk of their shopping and bus.ness in Otahuhu. Personally he had not heard of any dissatisfaction among Otahuhu business people. Anyone who knew the borough knew how rapid had be°n its recent progress.