REPORT ON HOUSING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 11 July 1925, Page 9

REPORT ON HOUSING.

RECENT NORTHERN TOUR. FRANKTON AND AUCKLAND. REPORT TO WELLINGTON COUNCIL. —— _. -^safrtftiKp; Tho following report on its recent northern tour was furnished by the Housing Committee to the Wellington City Council on Thursday night. "The members of the committee paid a visit of inspection of houses built by the municipalities at Shannon, Palmerston North, and Auckland, and of the Railway Department's houses at Frankton Junction. "At Shannon four houses were inspected, two of which, containing five (rooms, were built by the borough at a cost of about f 630 each. This cost, however, did not include electric light instal-. ; lation, drainage, hot water, nor was the water laid on, a roof supply serving the tenants. A sum of at least £100 would be required to provide all those facilities, so that it can be estimated that the cost of these houses fully equipped with modern conveniences would be £900. The tenants pay £4 1/6 per month, which includes rent and sinking fund to pay for the house in twenty-six years. The houses were well built, and in every way suitable and comfortable. "At Palmerston North 21 houses were built in brick, partially rough casted, by the borough on municipal land. The cost of these varied, the prices averaging £1000. These houses presented quite a good appearance on the outside, and perhaps had the best exteriors of any houses that were inspected on the trip; the costs, however, were considerably higher than the other houses inspected. The tenants pay £1 5/6 rental per week, which includes insurance and repairs. "At Frankton Junction, about 100 houses have been erected by the Railway Department, all built in timber, at a cost, exclusive of the land, of under £650 each. These are built in a well-laid-out settlement, which includes an institute, bowling green, tennis courts, croquet lawn, football and cricket grounds. The tenants of the houses in all cases provided the labour, while the Department contributed the materials required in the construction of the reserves and buildings erected. The type of house ie one which would suit the requirements of city dwellers, being all provided with drainage, water supply, electric light, and other conveniences. The tenants of these houses are charged as a weekly rental the equivalent of one day's pay, ranging from 14/ to 21/ per week. The houses are not sold to the tenants. An inspection was also made of the house building factory where these houses are prepared on the 'cut-to-fit' principle. "At Auckland an inspection was made of 65 houses, built by tho corporation at a cost of approximately £800 per house, exclusive of tho land. These houses are built of brick on edge cavity walls, rough-casted on the outside. The tenants are paying weekly sums of £1 10/4 and £1 13/2, which include the rental and a sinking fund to pay off the cost in 364 years. The houses present a clean and neat appearance, and although not large, averaging about 900 square feet floor space, yet they are well planned, and tho tenants express entire satisfaction with them.