THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 39, 15 August 1905, Page 5

THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

PETONE'S POSITION.

AN ANIMATED DISCUSSION.

High .rents and the housing problem caused an animated discussion at the Petone Borough Council meeting last night, when Councillor M^cfarkne moved to rescind tlie decision recently come to enabling two houses with a brick party wall .to be erecfed on a 50ft section. He failed to see the necessity for 6uch ' a provision, which was a distinctly retrograde step. It was inserting the thin edge of tho wedge of slumdom, and those who supported it were doing real 'harm to the whole -colony. There should bo a f clause in the. Municipal Corporations Act fotbidding persons from voting on such matters wnen their own interests w-ers tvery largely involved. In 'support,of this view, hs> quoted a recent article from tho Evening Post, ifc was ridiculous to say that the ' proposed change was in the interests of the woTking man. Ho would have appealed to the unselfish and humanitarian side 'of Councillors, -but he feaTed tho matter was one of business, whicli meant the burying of ethical aspects. Cpuncillor Nicholson said that had -pdßp'le- not been allowed to build on sma)L sections, .tho value of land in Wellington would not have been so high as it was at' present. He hoped P&tone would not* be placed in a similar position. , Councillor M'Ewan pointed out that increased population caused enhanced Values. Ho deprecated Councillor Macfarkns's insinuations of selfishness ,on the part of Councillors who did not thins as he did. In a 200 ft 'block of land,, fully built on, there would bemore -air-space under the aiew bylaw than under the old one, and a cheaper house could bo erected.

Councillor Findlay emphasised that two 5-roomed houses, semi-detached, could be erected and let at not more than' lQs a week each. That was a reasonable rent -for, a working man, and gave- the landlord a fair return. At present there was not a decent house in Petone tenanted by a working man in which-there was not more -than one family. Hou«6 were double-B*anked, and in some cases treble-banked. Comd "that be as healthy as two families living in semi-detached 'houses, quits separate and with plenty of air-space? Councillor Nicholson (remarked iha.t as many ss six families could live in one of these semi-detached houses a 6 in Wellington. Councillor M'Ewan": Each house is to be for the exclusive use of one family. Councillor Ma-ofariane : You know you can'.t enforce that.

Councillors Coles and M'Ewan did not believe the "50ft frontage and two houses" would enhance the value of land. They both took exception to -the remarks of Councillor MacfaTlane. Councillor Wakeham said he strongly resented ths imputation .that he or any olhsr Councillor who happened- to have invested a little money in Petone wished to rack-rent and take advantage of th« working classes. _ The Mayor expressed regret at the imputations cast. He strongly emphasised .the fact .that under the cciv bylaw there would be four times as much airspacs provided 1 as the minimum allowed by the Municipal Corporations Act. TheTe wap no doubt the rente were at present very high, and he believed the new .bylaw was tho only way of accommodating a large section of the population which was deserving of consideration. _ It might have the effect of incraaaing the price of land, but the working man tenant would undoubtedly benefit by a reduced rent. In the course of his reply, Councillor ■Macfarlane stated that there wa6 jio telling where this would end. Tho next step would be to make the section 40ft for two houses, it would be quite impossible to see that only on© family lived in one house.

Tha motion was lost, only Councillors Macfarlane, Hastings, and Nicholson supporting it. Councillor Findlay .then gave notice to move:— "That permission .bo given to erect a two-storey building upon a Bec•tion not less than 40ft x 100 ft, having not less than 2000 ft combined air-space. Same to have brick party wall ; to con■tain not less than four rooms and scullery, bathroom, and conveniences, to each detachment. Said back-yards to be well covered to the depth of 4in with rotten rock, well rammed and .graded to inlet of drain, with a well-tarred surface to .the same specifications os .the street footpaths. That a 6ft dividing fence composed of inch boards, bo erected in a substantial manner, to the satisfaction of the Inspector.".

ww o P"j! afciol1 ' introduced by Mr. Wilford, M.H.R., waited on ili Minister for Railways yesterday on behalf of those residents of the Hutt and Belmont who work in the Petone workshops, asking that the train whicli leaves Petono Railway Station at 5.S n m should be postponed until 5.5 p.m.,' as it li impossible at present for them to hand m their books and get on to the twin in the two minutes available They pointed out that fts the 5.2 train waits lor fifteen minutes at the Upper Hutt for the mail train tkero could be no reason against the proposed delay. The Minister promised to give an answer to the deputation to-morrow. The deputation also asked for an extension of the milk clock at Upper Hutt southwards for 40ft or 50ft. The Minister promises that in this matter also he would try and give an answer to-morrow,.