LIVING CONDITIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 104, 3 May 1926, Page 8

LIVING CONDITIONS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —The 'nTiter of the letter signed "Disgusted" in tb-riightfs issue of "The Post" is only one of hundreds who have i found Wellington a city of high rents, low 'wages, heavy prices for most things, and a positive dislike of the Englishman who knows his job. I have lived in a fourroomed flat, for which I pay £2 15s per week rent (unfurnished) since coming to Wellington two years ago. The next tenant is to pay £3 per week for the same flat. I am an English public school man, yet unable to find a position anyway equal to thoso I held in London, England. I sent in an application for a Government position, which my experience and education fits me for. The closing date for same was 27th February, 1926, and yet to-day, Ist May, 1926, no appointment has been made, or if it has, it is kept a profound secret. I shortly sail for England to fill an important position, to which I have received my appointment by cable. I would prefer to remain in Wellington, as I have made a home here, but I cannot afford to be out of work, and I prefer to b9^on a staff where native-born colonials will not have the opportunity to toll me, "It is an insult to bring an Englishman to work with us." It is to be hoped those colonials never set foot in London, unless prepared to start at the bottom and learn "how."—l am, etc., DEAD STRAIGHT. Ist May. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I would like to endorse the criticism put forward by your correspondent, "Disgusted" in regard to "high rents." This has been a serious question for years, and time after time complaints have been made through the Press. Prior to the last General Election we heard quite a lot of talk from prospective politicians about the serious question of housing. Now that the election is past very little is heard of this most important question. If it is possible for the Government to build up-to-date houses at £1 per week rental, why should : the average working man have to pay almost double that amount for a place to shelter his wife and family? It is time that the Government got together a Commission to thoroughly investigate this matter. There is we know an Act of Parliament in regard to rents of houses; but people at the present time who are fortunate enough to see a house to let are forced to agree to these high rents other-, wise they would never secure a home at all. As to prices charged for furnished flats, rooms, etc., this is even worse, seeing that there is about a third of the people in this city living in these places. Surely the proper legislation could be brought forward to prohibit landlords from charging any price at all. Prospective settlers are given glowing accounts of how most oE the workers in this country own their own homes. How they can buy a home on the present basic wage is surely a mystery. When Mr. Coates. as head of the Government, starts to consider these matters, he will then be getting' things done.-—I am, etc., ALSO DISGUSTED.