HOUSING PROBLEM.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17393, 2 March 1922, Page 7

HOUSING PROBLEM.

doctor advises model tenements. "In considering environment iri relation to morbidity and mortality, said Dr. Young in his address as president of the British Medical Association (New Zealand branch) at Wellington Town Hall this week, there is no question more important that of housing. The present Gowninflnt had already steps and eu. courted local authorities to tako fiteps to imorove the houßing of the people, but much more in that direction remains to be done, and more a ttention should be paid to modern ideas of town-planning." The speaker quoted ■the remark of Dr. Addition, of the British Ministry of Health, that it was useless to talk of stamping out tubercle when so many people were compelled to live in houses condemned afi unfit for human habitation. Although it was a, good idea, he went on, it was not necessary or economical to give each family ft detached house, for this to many people with- small incomes made the cost too high. Moreover, the distances from centres of work at which those houses were usually built often necessitated expensive tram fares, and added considerably to the of living. Why should there not 1» within the city two-storey model tenement houses provided with playing grounds? In a well-built tenement, comfortable flats with the usual modern conveniences could be provided at a moderate rental. In this way the workman could be housed better and at less cost ( than many were at present in old. insanitary, overcrowded houses. The other alternative was to build terraces of housed in a suburban area where land was relatively cheap, and to provide cheap means of transit. In such areas there was often difficulty with the watersupply. drainage, and lighting, as well its the distance from pioture shows.