HOUSING PROBLEM.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9657, 14 July 1919, Page 7

HOUSING PROBLEM.

(To the Editor "Guaiiduln.")

Sir, —I will be gratified if you will allow mo once more to utilise the columns of tho "Guardian" to touch upon one or two matters I omitted to set out in my first letter when dealing with the question of houses to let. X must first of all express my pleasure at seeing the views of another correspondent in Saturday's issue, and also the reference in the leading article on Saturday to the housing problem. The commercial loss to business people sets out a phase oi; the question which I had overlooked. It stands to reason that if a man has a wife and, say, two children to keep, he cannot reasonably do this,...at the present cost ,of living, under £3—that is;, allowing him 16s or 18s per week for rent. The difference between the rent and the £3 goes to tho tradesmen. . A man does not necessarily need to be a ratepayer to be a U6eful citizen, although some people' in Ashburton would try to make you believe that it is only the ratepayer who counts. I feel sure if the tradesmen could be stimulated to action on behalf of the unfortunate tenants in this town it would help to carry weight with the Borough Council. " It is a pity that Ashburton does not possess a Chamber of Commerce, as the opinions of such a body, if comprised of live business men, would have a very stimulating effect in the community. If a Chamber of Commerce existed here at the present time this housing question would be right into its hands. We have arrived in Ashbur.ton at the crossing of the ways, and the time is now to say whether the tenants are to be. housed or not, or are they to be allowed to drift and seek pastures new, and Ashburton's loss in this respect be some other town's gain. Agents will tell you that the housing problem is the same all over the Dominion. This latter statement of theirs is pure guesswork, and I have information to show that it is nothing of the kind. In cities and a number of other towns it is very acute, but still, for all that, there are provincial towns where it is still Possible to rent houses, and that is more than we can say for Ashburton. Four years ago the -houses in Ashburton were scarce, and any person who has lived here during the past few years 1 knows how many new residences have been built to i*elieve the pressure. On the other hand, new arrivals have came in, and now the population is so congested'that if six married men with families came hero to-morrow , there is no place to house them. CROWDED OUT.