PROBLEM OF HOUSING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 123, 25 May 1923, Page 3

PROBLEM OF HOUSING.

LOANS FROM THE STATE. MORE GENEROUS TERMS. MR. MASSEY EXPECTS A RUSH. As, a contribution towards the attempted solution of the housing difficulty, the Premier (the Rt. Hon. W. F. Mas'sev) intends to ask Parliament to amend" the lr»v in the direction of increasing from 75 to 95 the percentage ot the cost the Government can lend settlers and worker* wishing to build their own houses. He made this an- | nouncement this morning to a deputation from the Council of Christian Congregations, which was introduced by the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. J. H. Gunson). In addition, to his Worship, the Rev. C. J. Tocker, the Rev. W. G. Monckton, and Mr. C. F. Bennett spoke, and placed before Mr. Massey some of the facts that recently (\me to light as the re-ult of the investigations made by the council into the terrible conditions caused in Auckland by the shortage of houses. Ml-. Massey. in replying to the deputation, said the problem had not escaped the Government, a* one of the speakers suggested. The deputation would he amazed if he told them the amount of j money the Government had spent in the last dozen vcar?. Between April 1. 1919. and January 31. J923, the Government had expendkl millions. Durin gthat tune 212 dwellings had been erected for railwaymen. at a cost of £243,154. Under the State Advance- Act, by which 75 per cent of the cost of a building was advanced, the number of houses erected was 8320. and the cost was .- 4.473.863. Then, under a small housing scheme to relieve the position in Wellington (where it was much worse when at its height than in Auckland). 38S houses were built, at a cost of £440,814. The. number of houses built under the discharged soldiers' settlement scheme was 3701, and the cost £3,150.499. That last item was for building only, and did not include houses purchased. Including houses purchased, the amount expended was somethin}; like £ 10,000,000-that was to sa\. 10.000 soldiers provided with houses, at a cost of about £1000 ,ich. The total number of houses that the Government had advanced money to build or had built, as mentioned above, was 12.861, nnd the money -found was ._5.310.330. It could not therefore be said that the Government had not, done anything in the matter of housing. Personally he had always taken the greatest interest j in it. He had always had the idea that a man was a better citizen if he were able to look forward to owning his own , home. (Hear, hear.) ADVANCE. 95 PER CENT OF COST, j "I am going to ask Parliament to make a serious alteration in the law," continued Mr. Massey, -'which will encourage the building* of a great many more houses. At present the Government, under the Advances to Settlers and Advances to Workers Act, may find 75 per cent of the cost of a building. That has worked very well in the past, but I think it is capable of improvement, and I intend to ask Parliament to improve it. lam going to ask Parliament tp increase the amount we can advance from 75 per cent to 95 per cent. Yon wil no doubt think that that is a pretty big risk, and [ don't shut my eyes to the fact, but the money is lent on what are known as 'table mortgages.' That is to say that as soon as the first half-year's interest is paid the liability is automaticaly lessened, and the security of the State is improved and goes on improving. I think Parliament will agree to my suggestion. Of course we know that if the percentage be increased as I suggest we would have'to provide a lot of money, probably a million pounds, as there would be a rush to take advantage of the Government's new scheme." "And that," said Mr. Massey, "is what the Government is doing in the matter of the shortage of houses." He went on to say that he did not know exactly what the Mayor of Auckland had in his mind in regard to the amelioration of the position, but if he (Mr. Massey) could j assist Auckland or any other city where i there was a housing difficulty he would ! be quite prepared to consider any reason- ! able proposal. WILLING TO HELP. Turning to the question of the accommodation of immigrants that had been raised by Mr. Bennett, the Premier said that if the immigrants were of the right type they would be ready to build their own houses. The Dominion had been successful up to the present in getting good batches, and there were always building tradesmen among them—just the sort of people that we wanted to build homes for themselves and for other people. Mr. Bennett said he was referring particularly to immediate accommodation when the immigrants arrived. Tlie Premier replied that he had never found the immigrants unreasonable. Speaking generally, Mr. Massey said he had outlined what the Government hat: | done, had explained that it was increas- ■ ing the opportunities for people to build. Tt must he remembered that Auckland had gone ahead in a most unprecedented I and wonderful way during the past few i years, in addition to which they must .! remember the gap in building caused by i | the war. If the deputation could sug- • i gest anything more than the Governi ment was doing, or proposed, he would -, most cordially try and help. ' - •