British Housing Problem.

Progress, Volume XVI, Issue 9, 1 May 1921, Page 203

British Housing Problem.

NEARLY 10,000 SCHEMES FOR SOLVING SHORTAGE IN ENGLAND SUGGESTED.. Attempts to solve Great Britain's housing problem have already brought forward upwards of 10,000 schemes involving an annual capital

expenditure of ;£ 125,000, according to a report by a representative of the foreign trade bureau of the Guaranty Trust Co. of New York. After giving details as to various plans and the number of houses to be built in each of more than 30 cities visited, the report continues:—•

The programme of the Ministry of Health—complete rehousing in three years—is about one year behind, and is costing more than double the original estimates. The Ministry of Health works in conjunction with the Office of Works. Where a local authority defaults,' the business is then entrusted to the Office of Works.

SKILLED MEN LACKING.

What is keeping back housing .at the present time is the fact that there are not enough skilled men to do even a quarter of the work wanted. The trades union will not allow the number to be increased from the outside. The Government is using a sort of indirect compulsion by prohibiting “luxury and unessential building,” so that if a man will not build cottages he is not allowed to build anything else. There are various suggestions for speeding up the work, including a guarantee to trades unions of employment for a term of years to men employed on housing work, to insure them against loss of time in bad weather by a minimum wage “wet or dry.”

In return the trades unions will be asked to consent to dilution and the employment of unskilled and semi-skilled labour, to give up their apprenticeship rules, and abandon all opposition to the employment of ex-service men, trained or untrained. There are “luxury building” tribunals to hear appeals against decisions prohibiting buildings regarded as non-essential.

BOND ISSUE FOR HOUSES.

There are housing bond campaigns all over the country. In London subscriptions to the 6 per cent, bonds are coming in at the rate of about Tioo,ooo a day. While the local governments are issuing 6 per cent, bonds, the British Government charges 7 per cent. Borrowing in the ordinary way for housing schemes not financed by bonds is usually 7 per cent.

On July 21 st the total number of housing schemes in England and Wales was 10,673, covering in all land for 800,000 houses. Of these 7,120 have been approved with an area for 550,000 houses. In Scotland 103,000 houses have been authorised, the bids averaging about £I,OOO a house. This is roughly about £IOO to £l5O more than it costs for a house in England.

The Wanganui Borough Council has completed the erection of several municipal dwellings. The cost of a four-roomed dwelling built of hollow concrete blocks is £745, and that of a four-roomed dwelling of concrete £698. The costs in both instances include plumbing and fittings.