THE HOUSING TROUBLE.

Evening Star, Issue 19020, 15 August 1925, Page 10

THE HOUSING TROUBLE.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —Do you really think that the people .want houses, or is it only something to make a howl about? If they really do want houses they can easily get them, but not to rent—the Government has made that impossible, unless a man wants to go bankrupt. The extremists are continually haranguing tho Government to build workers’ dwellings, but they are not serious. That is only an election cry. They know' just how the people could get houses, but that is not their object. They also harangue the City Council, but they have no money for that purpose, and they have no right to spend the ratepayers’ money for any such purpose. We also hear of a proposal to appeal to the so-called wealthy people to build charity houses, and wo have some harrowing cases of distress cited —so many people living in hovels, etc. It is all humbug. If the people won’t help themselves no one can help them. They say that it is fools who build houses and wise people who live in them.

Now', let ns begin at tho beginning, and see what the people did then. It is just fifty years ago since I arrived in Dunedin, Houses were just as scarce then as they are now-. My first house was four small rooms—the froht door entered into the largest room; the back door entered into the kitchen; the other two bedrooms entered off these rooms., In the kitchen was a colonial oven, and in the front room was a fireplace, but no grate or mantelpiece in either room, and the rent w r as IGs a week. At that time tho suburbs were being laid out into townships, and people bought the sections on deferred payment, and built their own home—two or three rooms to begin with—and whether the man was a tailor, or a blacksmith, or a bank clerk, he built his first house with his own hands, and lived there until he could afford something better. At that time there w r ero no trams, roads, footpaths, drains, water, gas, or electric light. A tank had to bo provided as the only water supply—the w'iiste water was put in the garden, and sanitary affairs had to be attended to by themselves. Land was dearer then than it is now. My first section cost me £4B, and was considered very cheap. I notice that the City Council bought twenty acres at Clydohill, just at the end of a penny tram, for £IOO an acre. Now, as oneeighth of an acre is quite as much as most people can keep in order, the price would ho £l2 10s. Now a man should be able to find that sum, get his title, build the number of rooms lie wants, got a mortgage, and pay for the building, and thus live comfortably at a very small rent, and be content—but that is the rub. They will not lie content; they want to start where their parents left off; they want everything of the latest, and near the theatre or picture palaee; they must have rooms with the latest art papers, fibrous plaster ceilings, tiled fireplaces, hot water service, porcelain bath and basin, lavatory, electric light and cooker, or gas, sink, wash tubs, and copper—everything right up to dale. Why not? If they are prepared to go to the end of a 2d car they can pet all that and their rent not much, if any, over £1 per week, including interest, rates, an<? insurance, the land bathed in sunlight all day, with a beautiful view.

Now. the man who was living with his family in a loft with no convenience, and who said lie could afford to pay 30s a week for a house, is either a rogue or a fool, or he would help himself to a comfortable home. In the face of all this, with this knowledge, how do .you expect people to help those who will not help themselves? 1 have discussed this matter of rents and conveniences with tcnantSj but they will not own a house. It ties them to one place, and they do not like the suburbs; they want the centre of the town, and keeping places in order is a bother. So why waste your sympathies on them P I am, etc.. Hem* Yourself. August 15.