CITY HOUSING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 231, 30 September 1935, Page 3

CITY HOUSING.

SCHEME DEFENDED.

W,ORK FOR UNEMPLOYED.

SPEECH BY MR. B. MARTIN.

The £200,000 housing scheme of the Auckland City Council was defended by Mr. B. Martin, chairman of the town planning committee, in an address under tho auspices of the Rationalist Association in the Strand Theatre last night. Pointing out that the council had been faced with the problem of finding work for many unemployed Mr. Martin said that the council supported the view that good homes for workers should be regarded as one of the social services. The Government recognised the existence of a housing problem, and claims that there was 110 shortage of houses were further contradicted by the fact that rents had gone up in the last six months. Ihe Minister of Employment, tho Hon. S. G. Smith, had said that Auckland was lagging behind the rest of New Zealand in the increase in building. The council was in good company in embarking on the scheme, for similar steps had been taken in Great Britain, Europe and America. Mr. Martin said that varying opinions had been expressed as to the relative merits of flats and houses. The council considered it had 110 right to dictate which type of dwelling workers chose, and liad decided to devote £100,000 to each. Owing to the possibility of owners demanding higher prices, it had not been planned to announce the sites chosen pending the securing of options, but the fact that tho flats were to bo built in Grey's Avenue had become public. However, sufficient options had been obtained to create a basis on which to proceed with the taking of the land under the Public Works Act. should owners ask unreasonable prices.

The site for the 125 houses had not yet been announced, but it was within the second tram section, on "a gentle slope." The council's action in deciding to apply to the Local Government Loans Board to raise the loan was quite reasonable. Mr. Martin said that if a poll were taken it should be of all citizens, as everybody was a ratepayer indirectly. Rates would not be increased as rents would pay for the scheme. Mistakes had been made in the past which would not occur again. Lower interest rates could be obtained now and the council planned to do the work itself and not let it to contractors. A subsidy of £20,000 was hoped for from the Unemployment Board.