The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1919. SOLVING THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1919. SOLVING THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

So urgently important is the solution of the housing problem that no apology is needed for again referring to the subject, especially in view of the action taken by the Mayor of Auckland (Mr Gunson) in framing a definite scheme for providing seventynine workers' homes, and submitting the same for the consideration of the City Council. There has been so much discussion of this urgently important subject and' so little practical action taken that the propounding of a definite municipal scheme is distinctly welcome, not only as a practical contribution towards relieving the present congestion, hut

as an example to other municipalities. This is not the first time that the Auckland Council has had a workers' home scheme under consideration, as, in November

last, the Mayor recommended that the ratepayers be requested to authorise a loan of £250,000 for the purpose, and in (February last, though the Council decided to defer action, yet it expressed the opinion that a policy to actively cope with the conditions ultimately would have to be adopted. Since then the position has become more acute owing to the need for removing some fifty-five houses, very few of which have been replaced. The present proposal confines attention to providing the first instalment of seventy-nine houses which the Council hopes to finance without any loan. It may here be noted that the Municipal Corporations Act empowers local authorities to erect workers' dwellings and to sell them on such terms as they think fit. The Council owns the old abattoir site at Grey Lynn, and thereon proposes to erect 54 semi-detached houses at £6OO and 25 single houses at £650, the total expenditure, including roading and sewers, amounting to £50,000. The principle adopted is that of a selfsupporting scheme whereby the Council will assist people to acquire their own homes, but reI quiring them to pay for same. The project hinges on the Government supplying the amount needed, the Council to erect the houses to applicants' requirements, each dwelling being sold and the purchase money being paid by half-yearly instalments of £3 10s for every £IOO of unpaid purchase money (or loan), of which a portion would represent interest-at five per cent, the balance bqjng applied to the reduction in the principal. Thus the repayments are spread over fifty years, and for each £IOO the total interest would amount to £77 US 9d. It will be seen that the weekly liability on a £650 house would, with rates and insurance, be over £l, but if that sum were regularly deposited in the savings bank it would about clear all outgoings, except the usual renovations. The outstanding features of this scheme are the encouragement of thrift, the provision of comfortable, sanitary dwellings and the avoidance of imposing any burden on the ratepayers—which would be an injustice to the many for the benefit of the few. Municipalities all over England have tackled this housing problem, in addition to which the Government proposes to erect 200,000 houses. On, a population basis the New Zealand Government should, at this rate, v erect over 4000 houses, but so far Cabinet has only authorised the erection of 200, and this will probably be the limit, unless strong pressure is brought to bear on their "go slow" policy. Apparently salvation, so far as housing goes, can only be expected from the municipalities. What Auckland can do in this direction can also be accomplished by other councils, and it is for the progressive and humanitarian ratepayers to insist that action shall be taken to solve a problem that has become a reproach to the Dominion. The time for treating this question from an academical point of view has passed. Local authorities have been given the necessary power to provide the much needed dwellings for workers, and technical assistance ha 3 been extended to municipalities by the appoint-

ment of experts to advise them. The Government, however, should take the initiative and be prepared to provide the necessary money. It might with advantage ntilise some of that large nest-egg which accumulated surpluses have created, and as the people have provided that fund, some of it at least should be used for the benefit of the people, bearing in mind that it is not an expenditure but an investment that will prove a good asset for the Dominion in helping to industrial contentment by securing comfortable homes for the workers.