HOUSING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 28, 27 October 1934, Page 7

HOUSING PROBLEM

Better Conditions For Working Men “ZONING” ADVOCATED Various aspects of the housing prob- . lem were dealt with in an address to the Wellington branch of the TownPlanning Institute of New Zealand recently by Mr. N. O. Haigh, A.R.1.8.A., and published in the October number of the institute’s official organ. “There are many sides to the life of a community and housing may be taken to be the home life, the importance of which increases as the means of the individuals decrease, and prevent them from taking so great a part in the other side of a community life as those in more fortunate positions,” Mr. Haigh said. “The problem, then, is not so much the housing of the more fortunate members of the community, but the provision of better housing conditions for those of smaller means. “There is no type of house built to suit the man of limited means. The builder of the cheap class of-dwelling is very unwelcome in most localities, as he depreciates the value of the surrounding property. He must have the same size of section and pay the same rates as for a better class dwelling. If he goes further out, where land is cheaper, he still has to pay in fares. If he wants to rent he must either rent an old house more or less defective in some, if not in many, ways, or share a house which may or may not be suitable for separate occupation. Practic- . ally all our houses are built in timber, and when timber houses get old they not only depreciate in value far more than those built in permanent material, but they also depreciate the locality. Generally speaking, then, our people of small means are forced to live in depreciated houses in depreciated localities. This falls far short of a decent standard, and is not in the best interests of the community.” High Rental Values. “I think it is pretty well agreed the average working man is forced to pay far too much for the class of housing available. It is only necessary to try to rent a house or flat to realise this point. It makes one wonder how some families can provide themselves with the bare necessities of life,” Mr. Haigh said. “When a comparison is made between rental values here and in England, the difference is found to be so great that it forces us to ask the question, ‘What are the factors that contribute to the high rental value of, housing in New Zealand? The answers from different quarters will be numerous, and will include high rates, high cost of land, high cost of material, high cost of labour, high interest on money, high cost of upkeep and insurance on timber houses, by-laws governing construction, and, until recently, big profits by builders, sub-contractors and landlords. I do not think that anyone who knows the facts would suggest that it is owing to too high a standard of housing that our rental values are so high.” The effects of high rental values on the country were far greater than ap-, peared on the surface, he continued. Lower rental values would mean lower production costs, more trade, less taxes, lower cost of living and more employment. He firmly believed the system cf ownership was the crux of the whole problem both directly and indirectly. Solving the Problem. “What practical steps can be taken to solve the problem?” the speaker asked. “Can zoning help? There can be no reasonable doubt that it can, and the sooner the general public can be lead to realise this, the sooner our cure will commence. Usually in New Zealand legislation does not lead but fol' lows public opinion, and town planning has received no preferential treatment in this respect. We must get public opinion behind the movement before much progress can be expected.” After all, “zoning” was only “a place for everything, and everything in its place.” It was hopeless to try and get things in their place until suitable places were allotted and'restricted for specific purposes. Probably not halt the land in the city to-day. valued as commercial or business sites, would be required, within the next 50 years, for those purposes. In the meantime the owners were like Mr. Micawber “waiting for something to turn up.” It would probably be a disappointment to the owners,'but it would be a great benefit to the community if those areas were cleaned up and put to their correct use, that was housing. In common with other countries the housing requirements, for reasons not difficult to follow, had- changed considerably since, say. 1914. Flats were practically unknown in New Zealand then. The demand for that type of housing was not being adequately met at present, and that was one of the lines along which controlled development should be encouraged. There was a totally unjustified prejudice against group or terrace housing in this country, and that together with the “individual system” and the fact that the by-laws relating to frontage and area did not encourage It. was depriving New Zealand cf one of the most attractive and economical forms of housing. Much could be learned from older countries in that direction. Other types of housing which could be adopted with advantage were bachelor flats and the hostel type of building, but suitable by-laws were necessary for their control.