ISLANDERS’ HOUSING

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30214, 20 August 1963, Page 14

ISLANDERS’ HOUSING

Problems For Auckland (N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Aug. 19. The Auckland City Council decided tonight to suggest to the Minister for Island Territories (Sir Leon Gotz) that permits for island immigrants be refused unless it can be established adequate accommodation is available. Overcrowding and unsatisfactory living conditions in old and sub-standard houses prompted this. In a letter to the council, the manager of the State Advances Corporation in Auckland (Mr W. G. Berridge) said the allocation committee was frequently called upon to consider applications from Pacific Islanders for State rental acccommodation and allocations were frequently made. When the applications were being considered, the corporation said, it was often shown that a most unsatisfactory condition existed in the city because of intense overcrowding. To meet the needs of the steady influx of these island people, it appeared those already established in Auckland combined to purchase old and sub-standard properties and then resorted to overcrowding to meet their commitments. Any attempt by the allocation committee to lessen the evil, the corporation said, by granting accommodation to individual applicants was completely frustrated by the refilling of vacancies. This perpetuated the evil.