SHORTAGE OF HOUSES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 43, 21 February 1939, Page 9

SHORTAGE OF HOUSES

ACUTE IN WANGANUI, SAYS THE MAYOR FIGURES QUOTED TO HARBOUR BOARD “I am concerned about the housing position in the city, which, in common with other centres of the Dominion, is acute,” said the Mayor of Wanganui, Mr. W. J. Rogers, speaking as a member of the Harbour Board yesterday in opposition to a motion by the chairman, Mr. N. G. Armstrong, aimed at demolishing certain of the board’s cottages al Castlecllff deemed unfit for habitation and which have become an eyesore to the suburb. Mr. Rogers quoted figures showing the number of new dwellings built in Wanganui over the past 11 years: 1928-29 52 1930 40 1931 ‘1 1932 - 3 1933 - 3 1934 3 1935 11 1936 I IJ 1937 13 1938 1939 (to date) 24 "In addition to that 58 new Government dwellings have been completed and occupied, or are ready for occupation, and there are 37 in course of erection," Mr. Rogers added.

“During the period I have referred to 70 dwellings have been demolished. Taking the new Government dwellings and those in course of erection, we find that there have been 289 new houses, but deducting the 70 which have been demolished there remains an increase of 219. You will remember, however, that recently the City Council was compelled by law to conduct a housing survey. On the ground of expense we could not survey the whole city, but made ucomprehensive survey of the centra* portion of it. The advice I have is that 86 existing dwellings should be demolished, so if we deduct those from the new houses the position is not much, better than it was 19 years ago." “During the last ten years there has been a gain of 219 houses, and x do not doubt the accuracy of the figures quoted by Mr. Rogers, Ml. Armstrong said in reply. “If we ale that much better off the position cannot be as acute as it was 10 yea.ago because the population has no. increased. At least, we are no woiw

than we were. Mr. J. J. Scott said that it wou.i surprise members of the boaid go round the city and see the h° usll ‘; difficulties some people had to 1 U UP with. He quoted one case i which three families were living i one house. "Everything has bee done to find houses, but they canno be found,” he said. The board, by six votes to tine, decided to ask for the possession . certain cottages for demolition.