CITY PROBLEMS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16699, 6 December 1919, Page 2

CITY PROBLEMS.

GOVERNMENT RELIEF SOUGHT.

Various matters were brought before the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. TV. F. Massey") by members of the City Council. Nt s: deputation yestenl 1 y. The Mayor presided, and the councillors present wero Messrs J. A. Flcsher, H. Hunter. A. MeKellar, C. 1\ Agar. C. G. Harper, W. Nicholls, li. T. Armstrong, and E. E. Laiigley. Tho Mayor said that the City Council wished" to bring before the Prme Minister various matters of local importar.ee. which would !>:• introduced 1»y the chairmen of tho various coinmlUees. worker?' dwellings. The matter of workers' dwelling rrr.s brought up by Cr. Fie-lirr, wTTo spnke r.s tin: diiliculty of collecting rates on dwellings "for local purpose.;. I'n-d-r the -.resent system he said, the rates chaffed mi tho second half-year becanu. subject to an additional 10 per -.•ent., which addition the defendant refused to pay. Wher. the houses were unoccupied, "the Council obtained nothing from them. The Council, by iho way," was rated on the unimproved values. The Council and all other b cal authorities similarly situated were unable to sell the properties, as they were Crown properties. What was ashed was that the property used for such dwellings should be put en the same footing as other properties Some charge should bo made, "and the Department should be made responsible for the rates just as nnv private owner would bo. As tho head of the Department, the Council thought it advisable to ask the Prime Minister if some remedy in the existing stato of affairs could not bo dovised. j THE HOUSING PROBLEM. Cr. Flcsher then went on to speak of tho question of finance for a housing scheme. Ho urged that the housing problem was not a municipal one, but a national one, and that being so, the Council was prepared to do its part in solving the problem. Whatever money was required by a proper housing scheme should be found by tho Government. The Council for some time had hrd under consideration schemes for facing tho problem, but thov had been told a fortnight ago that all they could cret from the Government would bo £10,000 a year for a housing or any other scheme. That would provide for about onlv 12 houses, and the Council considered that provision should be made for at least £200.000 to £250.000, which would provide few enough houses. It was considered that the Government should make provision as tho Imperial Government had done. Mr Massey: The Imperial Government has done nothing so far. Cr. Fleshcr: Well, they have made a promise. Cr. Fleshcr added that it was considered that a very much larger sum than a loan of £10,000 at 41 per cent, should Iks provided for. If the Government would givo substantial help, the municipalities would be only too willing to do their share. Cr. Hunter emphasised the ncuteness of tho housing problem, and gave tho following figures in regard to marriages and houses built: — Marriages. Houses built. 1910 ... 0.")4 239 1911 ... 935 334 I!H2 ... 986 £33 1913 ... 964 221 1914 ... 1002 269 1015 ... 1108 203 1910 ... 917 199 1917 ... 711 170 1918 ... 699 81 1919 ... 0-12 (to end 150 (completed of August) to date). Totals 8963 2110 There were, in addition, 126 houses in course of erection. Those figures, Cr. Hunter continued, would give somo indication of the acuteness of the trouble. He alsospoko strongly of tho shortage of houses _ to rent, and added that, although no improvements were being mnac, rents wero going up. A sum of £200,000 or more was needed to put a decent scheme in operation, and it was considered that tho Government should do all in its power to relievo the position. A NEW PARK.

Cr. Harper brought before the Prime Minister the proposal to acquire an additional park for Ohristchurch in Waltham. A previous request for a subsidy, he said, had been refused, but ho impressed upon Mr Masscy tho need for a park in tho thickly populated district referred to. The land it was Proposed to purchaso had been valued at £2725, and tho Council had been advised that it would be doing well to buy it at that sum. He hoped that tho Primo Minister would be able to see his way to reopen tho matter and put an amount of £1500 on the Estimates for the purpose. The Mayor brought under the Minister's notice the trouble concerning tho engine sheds at Ensor's road, and also expressed a hope that something would be able to b.i done .to provide shipping for tho bringing to New Zealand of coal from Newcastle.

THE MINISTER'S KEPLY. In reply, Mr Massey said tlmt from what be could see of Chrtstchurch, thpro was an increasing population that would fill all tho houses mat the Council or the Government could buikl for many years to come. The question of tho 10 per cent, increase ccrtainly raised a nice point, which really atfcctcd the whole ot New Zealand, and he would see to it that the matter was looked into, and any possible improvement mndo.

The question of finance, Mr Massey continued, was a very big one, and he did not think that the Government could possibly supply all the money that was nc">ded for housing all oyer New Zealand. There was legislation. on the Statute Book for the erection of houses if the money could be sccur-1 ed, iirici the Government was going to ! do it It was iioing to start with an expenditure of - £1,000,000 n year. Money was of course, required for all sorts of purposes, and if each of the centres was going to ask for £2-30,000 or so a year, he could not sen where tho Government was going to get it. If all its ftnancc was to be used on housing, where would the money for all the rest of the necp-ssary works, such as the railways, etc., come from. He could only say that be v.-ould got the matter before Cabinet, and would get the best possible provision made, always b?arin« in mind the other works that were to bo done. While it was right that the Government should do its full duty in regard to housing, as should local bodies, who, he was glad to say, were doin«j their very Lest, it would, of course, be most undesirable if there were to bo any falling-off in the building of houses* by private individuals. In repaid to the"question of a park, Mr Ma.-sev promised to b-i"" +' ter before the Cabinet, after which, of course, it would ccine ue.>ju ru.i.-i ment. He added that he regretted that lie would bo unable to visit the Ensor's road railway v.;rds on his present visit, but he hop/d to visit Christchurch again early next v<:'.r. He would come back here* as Prune Minister, and Minister of Railways (applause), and he could promise that he would do his very best lor tho citizens of Cnristchurch. (Applause.) Referring to the shipping question, Mr Massi-v said that, uniortunatelv, no very great progress was being made, but" present indications gave an undoubtodlv l:ett".r cutlook. particularly in regard to ships suriabio for the carrying of ccal. Incidentally, he remarked that he thought the Government had enough coal to carry it ever the com;ng holiday season, and tho busier part of the season following. Mr Massey was thanked for his reception of the Council's rcouests. j