The Guardian TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 1939 Leeston Needs More Houses

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LX, Issue 18, 7 March 1939, Page 3

The Guardian

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 1939 Leeston Needs More Houses

Printed at Leeston, Canterbury, New Zealand, on Tuesday and Friday afternoons.

The need for more houses in Leeston has been frequently 'mentioned in The Guardian, and it is a subject which will bear repetition, especially as it is more than likely that representations to the Government department concerned may result in a Government housing scheme for the town. Due to the difficulty in securing suitable houses, departmental offices are being staffed with a greater proportion of single men than would otherwise be the case, while we have been told that there are other instances-where married men with families would come to the town if it were possible to secure houses. This is a proposition to which the Town Board should give its support, for it is to the advantage of the board, as well as to the town generally, to see that the houses necessary are available do those desiring to live in Leeston and in this respect any development which is likely in the near future should be considered. It is also undeniable that many of the houses now occupied by tenants are not up-to-date in the requisite conveniences and domestic facilities, and this also is another reason why every effort should be made to bring about a scheme which will ensure that modern dwellings will be available. There is already a movement amongst some of the .tenants to persuade the Housing Department to consider aj scheme for Leeston, with six orj seven prospective applications I and there would no doubt bei more were the Government to! decide upon providing here those housing facilities which it is now making available in other small centres, similar to Leeston, in both the North and South Islands. Consider what! an improvement the existence of half a dozen or more new houses would make to the town; the increase in rate revenue to the board, to quote only one advantage to be derived. It is to be hoped that at its next meeting the Town Board will decide to press the claims of Leeston for a State housing scheme and at the same time enlist the services of the member of Parliament for the electorate. There are plenty of suitable sections available and there are master builders in the district who could erect the houses. The need is here and it is an urgent one. By vigorous i~ representation to the proper quarters there is no reason why it should not be met and the Town Board, by giving a lead, will be performing a useful ser-

vice to the community. This is all the more necessary because the Government's entry into house-building has destroyed all private enterprise in this work, and the board, for reasons which are readily understood and are quite conclusive, is not prepared to undertake a scheme of its own. By its actions two yearSy ago it recognised that there was a need for more houses in the town and since then the demand has" not eased.