HOUSES FOR THE PEOPLE

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 219, 13 September 1923, Page 8

HOUSES FOR THE PEOPLE

CITY COUNCIL'S FIRST FIFTY. CONTRACT SIGNED TO-DAY. MA Vi iK FORECASTS FURTHER EFFORTS. wakninu against land exploiters. danger of boom evil. The contract for the erection of the City Council's fifty houses at Grey l..vnn was signed this morning by the successful tenderers. Messrs. J. T. Juiian and .Sons, and within a year these dwelling* will be available for assisting ti> relieve tlie , ever-pressing housing probli-m. This, the first important contribution of the City Council towards tlie general scheme to reduce the house shortage, will probably be followed, if lit is found to be practicable, by further jefforts to provide homes for some of the people who. for one reason and another, are not able to help themselves in thie matter. "All the preliminaries have been completed, and the work of erection will commence forthwith." said the Mayor. Mr. .1. H. Gunsoil, in discussing this urgent problem of house shortage this morning, and the Council's undertaking. ''Under the terms of the contract, the houses must all be completed within twelve months," said the Mayor, adding, "The Council was most fortunate in the preliminary work connected with the scheme, and having regard to all the ! circumstance*, although the price is a little higher than had been calculated, and we arc paying slightly above the engineers estimate, it must be considered as satisfactory. For it has to be considered that under the contract we are gefting a five-roomed concrete house built to fulfil tlie requirements of the city by-laws in materials and finish, and with all modern appointments, such ac bath in a good-sized bathroom, and every kitchen and pantry facility. Xo fault can he found with tlie cost of this up-to-date class of building in permanent material, in which, maintenance costs will be avoided, for £777. the contract price for the fifty houses being £38,850. When the main sewer drainage and the other necessary work is completed, and tlie price of the section added, the total cost of each house property with all improvements, ready for the purchaser, will he £1000. This sum will.be .spread over a period of 36 years in weekly payments on account of principal and interest, the purchaser becoming the . owner of* an unencumbered Dropertv in 3G years for about 25/ per week. The Council is now receiving a large number of applications, which are all. being put on file, and i> s soon as the houses arc ready a ballot will be taken to ascertain the 50 fortunate buyers of these modern houses which are being offered by the City Council as a contribution towards a settlement of the acute housing problem existing in the city. A CHANCE FOR HOME HUNTERS. "'The Council would have liked to do a great deal more, and as it is this must not be taken as the sum total of its work in this respect. As soon as it is found to be practicable the Council proposes to proceed further. It must, of course, be borne in niirid that the recent amendment of the Finance Act, under which 05 per cent is now advanced by the Government on house property for approved propositions, is intended as the great incentive to induce people to secure their own homes. The Council's scheme is merely supplementary. The Government scheme should be looked upon as the main factor in the solution of the housing problem, and it behoves everyone who can to get busy and secure homes.for themselves under the present favourable conditions. THE LAND BOOH EVIL. '"One of the evils to be guarded against however, and the Government in my opinion have not taken adequate steps, in this direction, is the question of a land boom. Already there is indication of it in the suburbs, and buyers will be well advised to look carefully into all propositions, and not be led astray by what appears to be alluring attractions. In some cases brought under, our notice, the prices to which suburban land is being boomed arc.altogether lvcyond the bounds of reason. But the majority of buyers are in this matter well able to look after themselves, and those who have a tendency to exploit the public in this manner will soon find that buyers generally arc alive to the position and that the game is up. For instance, the Council's land is being put in at £4 per foot, which is quite high enough for the distant suburban land, even when well situated, while land on r eold, bleak positions should be obtainable . even in »ood position for not more than £2 per foot. - Nothing in tlie thickly populated residential areas can be got for anything like this money." . .'. • • OF CSOOD CITIZENSHIP. "The contractors for the' council's houses, Messrs. .Tnliaii and Sons, are being asked to expedite the work -with all speed, and to deliver tlie houses at the earliest possible date." said the Mayor. "This has been expressly asked in view of tlie urgency of the ]>os.itiou. as disclosed in letters which we are constantly receiving, many of the writers having to pay rents in apartment houses, absorbing the greater part of their wages, and leaving little for family needs. I am bringing this ag.iin under the notice of the council, to see if we cannot do sometliing further without waiting for the completion of the present scheme. We have several schemes in mind, and the council will he asked io consider tlie position, as there is no doubt that it is a responsibility resting upon all those charged -with the administration of public atfairs to do everything possible to help towards relieving tms great need. We cannot shut our uvea to the present conditions, and it must be borne in mind that a well-, boused community is tlie first essential to good citizenship. The council is determined therefore, to do its duty and to assist t ,o SP W ho, by reason of economic hardship and for other reasons have not the initiative" or the ability to I help themselves. They have go t to b<. assisted .into those fmproved cbndifion* Jot living which make for contentment line-eased self-respect, and the greater , well-being of the community in general."