HOUSING REGULATIONS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 152, 29 June 1945, Page 4

HOUSING REGULATIONS

I read "Anti-Gestapo's" letter cerning the City Council refusal to grant her permission to install a sink in one of her empty rooms, to enable her to let half of her 6-roomed house. She states that she was assured that the main reason for the refusal was that four people using the one bathroom was a situation that must be avoided, and as she was not in a position to build another bathroom her spare rooms must remain unoccupied. Now lam renting one room, (admittedly a large one, 14ft by 20ftJ and here twelve people share toilet, hand basin and bath—all in the one room! This house was originally only 6-roomed, but verandah and basement have been converted into kitchenettes and bedrooms. It is presumed that per* mission to do that had to come from the City Council. There is still only one bathroom, and no sinks at all. Now the City Council has a new by-law which states "Thou shalt not eat, sleep, cook, etc. in the one room." Perhaps the council can explain where we are to live, if they persist in debarring people like "AntiGestapo" from helping us. Being a returned soldier, and married, I have as much chance as the next Kiwi of getting a State house—in time—but with the housing and building material shortage problem nowadays, I feel that the council should adopt a more lenient attitude. We can't even own a stick of furniture, living in someone else's "one room and a gas stove." All credit to people like "Anti-Gestapo" who want to help out. Give them a chance! —25595.

I read with interest "Anti-G-es-tapo's" letter. I am left alone with a house to myself. If I let rooms I can do so without any alteration whatever, and four or five people can use the same conveniences, but if I want, as I do, to make it more comfortable for them and myself by separating the 'rooms as much as possible and making another kitchen of one, I cannot have it done without a separate bathroom and toilet which the plumber tells me will cost about £100. So that, with the other necessary and unnecessary alterations, make it prohibitive, and perforce I have to retain five rooms and a large porch for myself while others are crowded into one room. \ ANOTHER ANTI-GESTAPO. '