THE HOUSING QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1920, Page 3

THE HOUSING QUESTION.

A VERY JUST DEMAND. . (By .the N.Z. Welfare League.) In many parts of New Zealand working people are demanding housing accommodation. This demand is beyond doubt very acute and exceedingly serious as affecting many families. We read that in Hamilton, Pahnerston North, and other secondary towns there exists a state of house famine. In Wellington the conditions are so utterly deplorable that they constitute a grave public danger. It is not the slightest exaggeration to say that there are thousands of children now being brought up in such environment, owing to the'want of housing accommodation, as to cause both physical and moral degradation. The conditions under which the mothers and housewives have to drag out their existence, deprived of the most common means of maintaining the decencies of home life, constitute a standing menace. The miners in their villages, the railjvaymen, returned soldiers, corporation employees and all manner of working people arc feeling the burden of the,, great want. Think of workers stranded in Wellington having to pay 255, 303; and even over that for the shelter of a single room. Whilst our people are hearing of constant demands, let us realise that this demand for houses is the most just and the most urgent of all. It is of no use blaming those in authority to-day for the bad conditions existing, thoneh much blame will rest on them if they do not act quickly and fully towards remedying the evil. We are suffering for the sins of the last fifty years and are all in a measure to blame because we were indolent in the direction of betterment when it was very much easier than it is now. We note that a builder at Palmerston North says: "It costs the builder 100 per cent, more to build a house now than in the pre-war period, on the score of labor alone; 50 per cent, rise in wages and 50 per cent, less output." Now we do not admit that such an increase need obtain if it does as we know of instances where the labor output is being well maintained. In our opinion the decrease in output is often due more to lack of efficient management than any other particular cause. ■ FACTORS TOWARDS A REMEDY. The big work of reconstruction/ towards the proper housing of our people can, in our* opinion, only lie adequately j dealt with by adopting comprehensive schemes of operation. The legislation that has been passed, which provides for Government, Departmental, municipal and private industrial schemes of building, with the State financial backing, is good so far as it goes. It lias to | be remembered, however, that legislation does not of itself produce results, the dynamic power after all is administration and personal. What is wanted is a thoroughly active policy of ndm'ni«tration in the hands of men who vi ill | show enthusiasm in the work and V.'nt j all the factors of the. problem shall be I kept to the fore by the Government, and other authorities that are riperr-t-I ing. Those factors which should have attention in a comprehensive way are: — (1) Cost of lanrt.^ (2) Cost of building materials. (.'!) Cost of labor. (4) Cost of management. (5) Locality and planning, (li) Transport and distribution. (7) Standardisation. In respect to all schemes the Government should exercise full oversight in regard to these various factors. The authorities operating should be in the ' very closest, co-operation »with reference ' to the methods of securing the land j necessary, mid the full powers of the | State should he exercised to prevent the j increasing of values. Building materials I should, we consider, be dealt with on a | larpo scale by the methods of comniau- I deer or State purchase. The fullest returns end reports wilh reference to costs and systems of management should be regularly furnished. On the question of the part labor must take in this national work we would strongly counsel that instead of labor being considered as a commodity, the personal side of the equation be taken into full consideration. The object of this work is to miet the just demands of labor, and if the workers are satisfied that their industry I is not going to be taken merely to enrich a few individuals they are likely to put their best efforts into it. In some instances in order to get the best results it would be well to consider the matter of employing workmen on direct contracts instead of the ordinary wages' system. The men of the various building trades should b'e taken into full confidence and consulted as to how they consider the best results can be secured. Whilst presenting this we have, in mind a scheme that actually is in operation at the present time. It is in charge of a man of broad mind who initiated the work by calling a number of tradesmen together and enndidjy conferring with them- The workmen have taken contracts for the work, and whilst they are making very good pay it is very satisfactory all round, because they are * working well and turning out good jobs with expedition. The earnings of these men are above the average hut owing to their active participation and keen Interest in the jobs the result is a lower 'labor cost to be added to the rental of the houses than ordinarily obtains. We must drop old methods as the abnormal conditions call for foresight, inventiveness and courage. EFFICIENCY AND ESSENTIAL WORK FIRST. It has been often said that the labor cannot be got to effect the building of houses on any large scale. We would like to ask, has any serious attempt been made to register and mobilise all the labor that might be available? In onr opinion a great mistake was made when the National Efficiency Boards and its various local committees went out of office. Their constant efforts towards I securing efficiency and their special attention to the need for doing essential work first was very hopeful during the war. Why the Government dropped these special efforts and acted as if after the war wc were just going to revert to pre war conditions and tilings would right themselves, we fail to understand. The fact stares us in the face that, our after war problems are just as serious as those during the war period. The demand for efficiency is as insistent as ever it was, hut it is being left as a matter of general debate. From what we know we are confident that the time of many skilled tradesmen Is being taken up in work that is not nearly as essential as the building of houses. The Wellington Progress League lias recently mentioned a few classes of work as less essential, these instances can be added to without exaggeration. During the war it has to be remembered how pleas were manufactured for the Military Service Boards to show '.hat indns- J trios would break down if men were

taken, yet by concentration on essential requirements the Dominion was able to release 100,000 men and still keep Its Industries going. The weakness of our present state is that we are dissipating our energies in dealing with all manner of minor issues instead of concentrating upon one big problem, such as this housing question. Its call for solution is one of the most urgent we have to faceOur contention fs that what is wanted in order to be effective is the fullest measure of co-operation between all concerned, the Government, local bodies, employers and workers. The very best thought of the workers should be secured towards this end, and we are confident that if the authorities will consult labor in an open-minded way that the wage-earners will readily respond. If there is any citizens' question this is it, and for the common welfare of all we trust that all sectional prejudice will bo set aside in order to cope with the trouble successfully.