HOUSING.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17857, 1 September 1923, Page 14

HOUSING.

lyttelton LAGGING.

a number of business men in Lyttelton hare recently been question of a housing scheme for th port. The fact that the population of Lyttelton has been stationary or last two decade;, and, in fact, has ev receded slightly during the or two, i 9 viewed seriously by men. One man remarked that Lyttelton the oldest town in Canterbury, was evidently content to remain the most backward. The amount of building done during the past few years is almost negligible, and, apart from houses erected by the Railway Department, the number of houses condemns by tho Health Department and pullea down has exceeded tho number of new houses erected. The <fy housing has been made by the Eaiiwaj Department, which has recently erected twelve or fourteen houses tor the use of its employees. Meamrhilo some hundreds of workers in the port travel daily through the hill. . They come from all parts or ChristchuiUi, the majority from Wooiaton, £ Sydenham, but many from afield—lliccarton, Spreydon, Addmgton and St. Albaus. Thev comprise te £" siders, shipping 'officials, clerks, foun ry workers and 'llarbour Board employ • A shipping official who was interviewed during the week stated that many, perhaps the majority, of these men would live in Lyttelton if they could get suitable houses. What has created considerable discussion and even surprise Among those interested in the advancement of Lyttelton is a clipping of an advertisement' by tho Kaiapoi Borough Cowicti which is here reproduced in part:— "Kaiapoi Borough Council. Housing Scheme. Schedule of monthly payments for a term of 2-oi years: £IOO, lis 4d; £2OO, £1 2s 8d; £3OO. £1 14s; £4OO, £2 5s 4d; £SOO, £3 16s 8d; £6OO, £3 8s Id; £7OO, £3 19s sd.—Charles H. Wright, Town Clerk. Kaiapoi, August 2oth, 1923." Fractions of a penny have been omitted. In response to an enquiry by telephone, Sir O. H. Wright, town clerk of Kaiapoi, furnished the information that his Council had fixed of repayment over the period of years at £6 16s 2d per £IOO per year, this amount comprising £4 15s per cent, interest and £2 Is 2d per cent, sinking fund. Tlio whole of the £SOOO, th© maximum. fixed by the Government, was allotted within one week. It will be seen from the above schedule that the rate of repayment of a loan of £7OO is slightly under one pound per week, so that even when rates and fire insurance are added the amount payable is rather less than tho rent of a good house. The Town Clerk (Mr F. Hobbs) stated yesterday that the Lyttelton Borough Council, in common with other local bodies, was entitled to a yearly loan of up to £SOOO upon application to the Government. No application had yet been made. A representative of "The Press" put the matter before Cr. F. G. Norton yesterday. Cr. Norton expressed surprise that anyone desirous of building had not approached the Council about applying for the loan. He himself would give the matter his fullest support. Those desirous of building could select their own sections in any part of tho borough. There were scores of sections available in the town and the owners could build to their own requirements, subject only, of course, to the borough building by-laws.