IS HOUSING REPRODUCTIVE?

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 27, 31 July 1924, Page 7

IS HOUSING REPRODUCTIVE?

Mr. 0. J. Hawken, the member for ligmont, has views on housing which may not appeal to everybody, perhaps. 'It is contended," he remarked in the House of Representatives last ni^ht "that it is the duty of the Government to provide money for housing and settlers." ' - .

Labour voices: "And so it is." Mr. Hawken said it was iniopssible to go on providing huge sums of money for one ortwo purposes without starving something else which might be more profitable to the country. It was said that agriculture was starving. Liberal members: "So it is." "If you are going to provide £4,000.----000 or £5,000,000 every year /or housinc it is going to bo a poor look-out for education and agriculture," replied Mr. Hawken. "You cannot have it both ways. It is unfortunate that the feeling is growing, prompted very largely by. members of Parliament, that it is not necessary for people to save u]> to provide their own houses."

Mr. K. M'Keen (Wellington South) "What nonsense."

Mr. Hawken: "If you provide money in plenty I believe it will toll against the thrift of the people." Some scheme

shonld be formulated to ca.use young people to buy their own homes and thus save rent. "I am satisfied," he Bald, "that our system is encouragingpeople to think when they want a homo that all they have to do is to go to the Government and demand it." Mr. Hawken then acknowledged that housing was an absolute necessity, and tha-t everyone should have a house, of his own.

Mr. A. L. Monteith (Wellington ™> : Yo" have learned something." • Mr- Hawken: "There are many ways m which y°u can spend money which will be productive." . "^•j . X Parry ( Auckland Central): We don t want sheds." t ¥ r- i ,4" Lee (A«okland East), who followed Mr. Hawken, stated that that gentleman had suggested houses were not reproductive. Well, there might not be any male houses, or female louses, bnt good, comfortable homes improved the moral and physical well-being of the people, and in that way were reproductive of good.