ACUTE SHORTAGE OF HOUSES FOR TAUPO TEACHERS

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 187, 26 August 1955, Page 5

ACUTE SHORTAGE OF HOUSES FOR TAUPO TEACHERS

A letter addressed to the Borough Council by the Secretary of the Taupo District High School Committee, Mr W. J. Murray, was considered by the Council at its meeting on Wednesday, August 17. In his letter Mr Murray stated that the Committee were concerned at the acute shortage of houses available for teachers in Taupo, and enquired whether the Council could not borrow money from the State Advances Corporation for the erection of rental houses and flats. Under present policy head-teachers and heads of secondary departments only were eligible for Departmental schoolhouses. The Committee had great difficulty in getting applications for any school staff vacancy unless some guarantee of satisfactory housing could be made. The demand for housing and board in Taupo was such that the committee was not in a position to offer any such guarantee. In the past, great trouble had been experienced in getting even temporary accommodation and the position appeared to be getting worse. The salary scale of young teachers precluded their staying in hotels, licenced or private. When teaching vacancies were not filled, more work was thrown on the rest of the staff, some of whom, if these conditions continued, looked for more congenial positions elsewhere. This resulted in the situation going from bad to worse, with a consequent lowering of educational standards. While the shortage of teachers continued the position would not improve. The position would, no doubt, be aggravated when the new Secondary Department was occupied. The Home and School Association was equally concerned and supported the Committee in taking all possible steps to lessen teachers' accommodation problems. As it was beyond the powers of the Committee to finance any housing, the Council's co-operation was requested in the matter, which was clearly one for public concern. Cr J. M. Stanley thought the Council should apply to the Government for State houses to be built in Taupo. Cr J. D. Swan pointed out that the Council had done this and had been supplied with application forms for people who wanted State houses and nobody had asked for them. Cr Stanley thought that the situation was different now, and that people would apply. The Mayor, Mr J. E. Story, said that later the Council would want housing for its own staff and that the solution of the teachers' problem was State houses. Once a State house was available, succeeding teachers would take it over when the former teacher left. Cr Vedder said that the Council and School Committee should approach the Government. It was decided to arrange a meeting with the School Committee to discuss the matter. Cr Swan considered it would be better to get as many people as possible to apply for State houses rather than go in for a Council housing scheme. The Mayor suggested that they should advertise the fact that application forms for State houses were available at the Borough Council Offices.