THE HOUSING PROBLEM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 75, 15 August 1912, Page 6

THE HOUSING PROBLEM

SYDNEY EXPERIMENT. j STATE ACTIVITIES AND TIIEIR ! RESULTS. RATHER DISAPPOINTING. Auckland, August 12. j "I doubt if food or clothing is any I cheaper in Sydney than here in Auck- ! land," remarked the Mayor (Mr. C. J. l Farr) in conversation this morning with a representative of the Auckland Star. "Rents are high," and the building trade is kept busy to meet the great demani for houses. "The Labor Government is making an attempt to solve the problem of dear rents. The Minister for Public Works is erecting twenty-four workmen's cottages at Daceyville, on the sand hills at Kensington, about five miles from the post office. I was much interested in the experiment, and visited the plaoe twice, as I hoped to gain some experience which would be useful to the Auckland City Council. "The Minister's methods, however, did not afford me much encouragement or assistance. Tlie Labor Government, among other enterprises in New South Wales, has State, brickworks, State saw-, mills, and a State joinery, and it was these tliat supplied the material for the erection of the workers' homes. That quite unnecessary person, the contractor, was also banned because he was too expensive, and the Government is building, the houses by day labor. A small army of men are at work, and one would' expect under such ideal conditions that cheap houses would be provided for the people at last.

"Tile people evidently expect such will be the case, for there was quite a rush for those cottages. Although only two are finished over one thousand citizens have applied for them, and there are still more to come. I found, however, that already serious doubts are being expressed about these cottages. "It was stated in Parliament that, notwithstanding the elimination of the contractor, and in spite of the State supplying the materials, the ultimate coat of each house would approximate £6OO. To gel the total cost it is necesary to add the price of the land and the expenditure in levelling the sandhill sites. It therefore looks as if the cost of these cottages will not be much less than £1 per week if they are to pay interest, depreciation, insurance and sinking fund. If that be so they will be of little use to the working man; whose house should not cost much more than 8s to 10s per week. "I am afraaid Daceyville is going to be a little disappointing. The question j of dear rents is a serious and insistent question for the laborer, and has got to be solved somehow. It will be seen from i this experiment that day labor and State I bricks and timber are not quite the solu- j tion of the bousing problem."