HOUSING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 274, 13 August 1920, Page 6

HOUSING PROBLEM

PRESENT SHORTAGE 7400

HOUSING SUPERINTENDENT'S ESTIMATE

A.-report by the Superintendent of the Housing- Branch of the Labour Department was placed before the House of Representatives yesterday by the Minister of Labour (Mr. Herries). The report deals with the operations of tho branch from its inception in November, 1919, and contains an interesting calculation of the shortage of houses, in New Zealand.

Tho Superintendent estimates that the shortage of houses in October, 1916, amounted to 4100 dwellings. The houses required for the natural increase of tho population and the returned soldiers in 1917, 1918, and 1919 numbered 8100, aud tho estimated requirements for 1920, 1921, and 1922 aro G550 houses. The number of houses built during the period 1916-. 1922 is estimated at 21,800, less demolitions and fires 7000, leaving a net shortage in 1922 of 3950 houses. The Superintendent estimates the present shortaga of houses- at 7400.

If arrangements are made under the Housing' Act for the erection of 1300 houses a year 'by. the Department, the local bodies, employers, and harbour boards, in addition to houses built by private enterprise, the shortage will be largely overcome by the end of 1922. The.number of houses completed, started, or proposed to bo erected by the Department since November, 1919, is 1085, and the Superintendent believes that this rate can be improved as difficulties are overcome.! The chief difficulties havo been shortage of labour and material. Tho report suggests that the statutory maximum cost of a house erected under the Workers' Dwellings Act should be incrcasEil. (Tfeo present maximum is' £775 for a wooden house and £850 -for a concrete house. The Wellington City Council has built four-roomed houses at a cost of £1100, and Sve-roomed houses at a cost of £1300. The suggested maxima under tho Workers' Dwelling Act are £900 for a wooden house, ;.nd £1000 for a concrete house. The Superintendent states that the Government can erect a house for £150 less than the private builder must charge, owinjr to its large purchases of materials arid its disregard of profits, and he believes, therefore, that even if the cost of building falls, the Government will be adequately protected from loss. -i

CENSUS OF JOUSjS SUGGESTED THE PRIVATE BUILDER, In the House of Representatives -yesterday Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) quoted, some- instances of hardship in Auckland, and asked if the Government would take a census of the available houses and rooms, with the object of providing accommodation for families. Tno Prime Minister replie'd that the Labour Department was at present inviting tenders for the erection of adili- [ tional houses in Auckland and other centres: These houses would not go very far, and it was just as well that members should realise that the Government could not build enough houses to cover Che shortage. The encouragement of the private builder was very important, and it was an unfortunate fact that what tie Government had done so far had fended to discourage the private builder of houses. The legislation restricting rente and protecting tennuts had frightened tho private and speculative builder, Mr. Fraser: The legislation does not atfrct them at all. Mr. Massev: "The honourable member Knows better than that. If lie does not, ho should know. I think that 19 one of the points where we will'have to go back ou the present legislation. f am going QU with the Bill at present before the House. I am going to ask !*e House to ngree to. that in its entirety." Mr. Massey added that tho suggestion of a census of houses would require consideration. . Dr. Newman (Wellington East) said that private builders would bo willinßto build homes if they did not tear that the Government was going to drown tho districts in houses, nnd. so reduce rents and make houses a bad investment. He thought that' private and sneculativo huilders would get to work C'tney could have some assurance as to the' rents of houses for the next few: years. _ ' • Mr. Massey replied that Dr. Newman had been one of the members who urged the restriction 'of rents. The Government wished to be just to both land'lord and tenant, and it would not do nny' injustice to the man who built, nouses. "The rent restriction law does not apply to new houses," added Mr. Massey. '"It applies only to houses that have 'been in existence for some time. I- don't know that I can put tho matter plainer than that." ' Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Government whether thev intended to appoint a temporary Minister of Housing this session, in order to co-operate and concentrate, the whole available labour and material on the building of homos for the people, and so to solve this vexed question of housing for all time. Mr. Massey said that the Ministry was already up 'to the full numerical limit provided. for in the law, arid no more could be appointed without an amendment of the law.

Mr. Mitchell: Alter the law, then. Mr. Massey: That is a matter for tha House. He added that ofien work could be. found- during tho session for' balf-a-dozen extra Ministers But ho did not think the country had lost by the present arrangement, by which Lousing was' in charge of the Labour Department. Tho work was in charge of an architect, and there was another architect to assist him. The trouble was not really cue of administration. The difficult)' was a shortage of labour and material, and ho had'said so over and over again. Ho did not think there would be much improvement until labour and material be- • camo more plentiful. A tremendous amount of house-building was going ou now, much more than the public realised. Any man who was a tradesman, could (jot plenty of employment,. and well-paid employment. Mr. P. Fraser ns*ed whether the Government intended to continue, the occu«, nation cf private dwelling-houses for offices? Ho said that already Government Departments had taken houses for this purpose, and the practice must ac-, centuate tho housing shortage. Mr. Massey said that the Government had no intention of taking any more private dwelling-houses for offices. Ha knew of only two houses that had been, so taken in Wellington during the past few years. ■ Mr. Eraser asked whether the meiit emild bring down legislation to givo the Hoard of Trade power to dealwith profiteering in houses. Ho instanced the case of "a highly-placed Public Servant" who hod bought a houso, for .£3250. paying a deposit of only.CtOOA, and sold it in a few months for Mr. Massey said he co-ild not answer such a question on the moment. Ho asked that it be placed on tho Order Paper for a written reply.