CHRISTCHURCH SLUMS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17222, 12 August 1921, Page 6

CHRISTCHURCH SLUMS.

VISITED BY CLERGYMEN. A delegation from the Council of Christian Congregations under the guidance of Mrs H. F. Herbert, a wellknown local social worker, visited somo of the slum localities in the city yesterday. The party consisted of the three vice-presidents of the Council: Archdeacon Ilaggit and Hers. J. Paterson, and T. A. Joughin, together with the Gleneral Secretary, Rev. J. J. North. Theso gentlemen will mako their report to the next meeting of the Council.

In a statement made to a "Press'' representative Rev. J. J. North said: "Revelation? of rack renting aro forthcoming of a quite scandalous nature. Tho secret of the ceaseless agitation for higher wages may lie in part in the abnormal rents which are now asked for the most delapidated apologies for > houses. There aro within the city bounds grossly insanitary houses, in which children languish and in which women lose heart and health. If any «$ one aouote this, a visit to Horatio street l? and to one particular house there wilt suffice. Haining streot, Wellington, is sometimes pointed out as tiio Dominion's worst. I visited the worst houses there j.nd never saw such atrocious neglect as in the case referred to. Slum houses in Christchurch occur very often in quite pleasant streets. There will bo a derelict old bouse, consumed of worm, squat on the earth,, with leaking roof and de* lapidation written all over it. Yet mthin a stone's throw the tile roofed bunglow spick and span is found. This fact emphasises the need for a qtrite systematic census of the town. The worst case we were shown of overcrowding, and it was a gross case, occurred in tho most unlikely street. The bad cases want tabulation. Partial tabulation is unfair. The rents charged ought to be looked into. One of the ministers found that he was himself paying exactly tho rent for his house i hat a widow in Sydenham is charged for a four-roomed old shack, consumed with borer, and with a dolorou* btta> vard of tinv dimensions. For this on the sliadv side of Brougham street with ten pounds worth of furniture thrown ■, in 30s a week is exacted. The children : are ill through their sunless cirotim- ■, stances and no wonder. (The i»r<>poT- | tion between rent and income in toe | two cases left that minister tj»nk«]* >1 furiously). We were shown a dolorous *„• section in Montreal street. Among .. dwarfed trees and debris, on tms chg- -j lhlo property there are three or tw cottages which are the Inst word in decay and insanitation. In one of these .., rabbit hutches, a wounded soldier ana Vis English wifo live. The rent i» to be bumped up 50 per cent. <>» oncof A more hopeless outlook fof» i working man with a fanifly and no hon» it is hard to conceive, /he cits' wWeh blows £50,000 any tote day mil have to yi wake up. Of course the traffic in crty property is the cause. .We arc.reaping .■ theater fruit of the boom. The rent t of a decent house is now too high for* : man with an ordinary wagei plus a goOB- \ sized family. , This is the £* * how to grapple with it and cure it» • problem of the largest ' The Ven. Archdeacon P. B. Haggfl*, speaking to a "Press" ™V!«*o£! iSg in regard te the inspcct««, t said that he could only describe the conditions as appalling. ™<S »»*"& cd him of the slums.of tho cases were more isolated. All v* houses were small, having no more WW four or five rooms. In one such enwu house there were 19 peoplo «« n K» JH* ' in others the number of occupants wj» 22, 14, and 12. It was found that ftre of six persons slept in one-oed,- ana growing girls and hoys occupied tho sa,mo rooms. In many hA"" *°tV«[ the windows would not open- Th« »» of tho back-yards was horrible, ©pen drains, rubbish, and slush V**™"** p absolute plague spots. The Jf*"*;™ I nearly air onscs was exorbitantly Wafc , 25s a weak being charge! for * IM« . not worth £IOO. , JJL,*. J "I don't want to make any COMWB- i nation," said Archdeacon H««*j»» *» 4 the mfttfcr will bo dfocussed before t» ) Council of Christian Congrc|atfniJl,W* *| I cannot help saying that I l*\***i , '" there is work for more health officer*. »• secondly, that women inspectors, wiM common-sense and tact, could do moon > good work; and.-thirdly, the inhumanity of somo landlords should be exposed. We were told of one landlord who !•» fuses to do anything to improve * ©e*j . tain house because he thinks It tnetun J be condemned, yet he wants to increase j. the rent!" ■. * Mrs Herbert gave a reporter a-ae- • P tafled account of the inspection,, wlttCß < revealed a shocking state of affair** A. ,j faut which has impressed Mrs Herbert, ,'{ in making visits to the homes m toe ' people, is that many of those who «• if in these unfortunate positions are de- " t cent peoplo in every respect, hot cb> t *-, cumstfihees have proved too strong fof • V them, and they are now in " h losing heart and giving up the etrttgjde to help themselves. Mrs Herbert Mi '*, records of the places she ha» ««*•", ~ including many in addition to those ' that were visited, yesterday, which . J showed that there are people living v? within the city nrea under con™* lo ?* J which can scarcely be imagined by the + majority of the citizens. One of the > cases of which Mrs Herbert has j»r« ticulars is that of a returned soldier, suffering from war disability ntor three years' service, whose only shelter j for himself, his wife, and six children, J is a four-roomed house in which there ! are eleven other persons living. The t-< house was sold, and the tenant had 0 long notice to quit, but was unable to j find another dwelling. The purchaser was a working man with wife, eight ? children, and his father-in-law depen- | dant on him. He wafted six monthe -j to obtain possession, and then waa compelled to move into the bouse, - which he is sharing with the tenant. The sitting-room is packed to the ceiling with furniture, which is also stored an tho verandah and in the backyard. r, There is a tiny space in front of the fire in tho sitting-roote, which all crowi round, but no other place for Bleeping accommodation. In a small room, 10 " feet by 12 feet, a mother and fivechil- .;' dren occupy a double bed, a baby oeciipies a cot, and the husband sleep* &< on the floor. One of the.children » M threatened with tuberculosis. In the m rear portion of the house, where the W second family is living amidst all the || stored furniture, the grandfather sleeps on a sofa in the kitchen and tne. hue- .» band wife, and eicht chddren are steep- ***} ing in a room 15 feet by 8 eet M«y < otlier cases are quoted bv Mrs Hertert, which reveal instances of families Irving , amidst revolting conditions and paying } rentals of 25s and 30s a week for the j 'privilege, J