OVERCROWDING

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 32, 7 August 1923, Page 4

OVERCROWDING

WHOLE FAMILIES IN ONE ROOM

'A .CHRISTCHDECH PROBLEM.

(GY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

CHRISTCHURCH, Clh August

. A deputation, headed by Archdeacon ■Taylor, waited on the City Council tonight relative to housing. The members .of the deputation were mostly ladies.

Archdeacon Taylor- said that most of the local' benevolent and humanitarian organisations in Christchurch of all greeds w-ere represented in the deputation, He trusted that the council would sympathise with the desires of the deputation in securing better housing conditions for the poorer people. The board-ihg-houscs were overcrowded, and whole families in apartment houses were forced ■to live in a single room.

Miss, Cardale said that in one house, which was quite uninhabitable, was a family with eight children. Another Jiotise in Sydenham, not fit for a dog to live in, housed a family with four 'children. In another place, a father, mother, and four children were living in' one room and sleeping; in one bed. Old people were living in dilapidated old .shanties. Altogether, it was impossible ix> expect decency to prevail when the living conditions were so awful.

Nurse Maude said that the morals of 'young people would not be improved 'hy the conditions under which the poorer ■people were compelled to live.

■--'Archdeacon Taylor said that the ■members of the deputation had not considered the matter of proposing a remedy. He did not know that they would •all be agreed.

' The Mayor (Mr. Flesher) said that housing was a Government matter. The council was prepared to go ahead with x, £200,000 scheme for housing, but the '■Government would not supply the money. The council was disappointed .■\yith the reception accorded the modest •schemes already inaugurated. He Koped, however, that more money would he available from the Government for housing, purposes.

Councillor Beanland moved that the ■matter be referred to the housing committee. He said that the committee might consider the idea of ereetine; a •smaller type of house, which would be 'suitable for elderly people.

* -The motion \vas carried.