DWELLINGS INQUIRY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11451, 27 February 1931, Page 3

DWELLINGS INQUIRY

CONSIDERABLE OVERCROWDING.

HIGHEST AVERAGE IN DINED UN.

A report .just issued by the Census ami statistics Office contains much interesting in format .on in regard to housing in New Zealand. The figures are based on the returns made at the last census. Taking the Dominion as a whole, occupants of dwellings, it is stated, increase I according to the number of rooms for dwellings up to thirteen rooms, after which the figures lluc- . twite considerably. Perhaps the most noticeable feature is that the rural parts of the .Dominion reveal generally more occupants per dwelling, whatever the size of the latter. Of individual urban areas, the highest averages are rOtumed by Dunedin. The normal figures respecting occupants of private dwellings would be greatlv enhanced, at the 1926 census, by the presence of visitors to the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, some hundreds at whom were accommodated in private homes. Nelson is the only urban area which has fewer than four persons to the private dwelling, the average for dwellings of various sizes being correspondingly lew. Almost 60 per cent, of inhabited privut c dwellings average fewer than one person to the room, while another 60 per cent, have from one person to under one and one-ball. The standard of living conditions which may be said nut to exceed the s demands of health and decency —a standard laid down by the Board of Health in 1919—that' "the healthy limit is reached when one and oueliaif persons occupy each room,” is used in the report. Of the total population enumerated in private dwellings, 12.87 per cent, lived under eondit.ons which may Le characterised as overcrowding. Amongst urban areas, and excluding Dunedin for reasons -already touched upon. Timaru lias the highest proportion of people affected by overcrowding. Amongst urban areas, and excluding Dunedin for reasons already touched upon, Timaru has the .highest proportion of people_alfecteil by overcrowding, with Wellington and Hastings next in order. Nelson appears in the most favorable light, followed by New Plymouth and then Palmerston North. Living conditions are admittedly 'different m the purely rural districts, so that tlic same significance hardly attaches to the high proportion expected. The 20,625 overcrowded dwellings form 7.2 per cent, of all inhabited permanent private dwellings. 'lhe great, hulk of private dwellings m the Dominion are well within the “healthy” limit as laid down by competent' authorities. Indeed, in 1920, over 57 per cent, showed an average of less ,tliuu one person per room, an improvement on the position in 1921, when the percentage was just over 55. In regard to tenure 'or datura of occupancy, data of high valpe to an investigation of social conditions are provided bv this division of the census statistics. 11l 1926 there were some-284,241 inhabited private dwellings for which particulars of the tenure of the dwellings occupied ivere obtained. Li these dwellings live Hie vast bulk of Him Dominion s population under conditions as follows: Renting their dwellings, 8] pet- cent.; living rent free, 8 per cent.; buying -cm time-payment, 9 per cent.: carrying a mortgage, exclusive of table, mortgages,’ 32 fjpr cent.,: and ,owner-s>oT-inieneumbeHa. freehold. £o(per cent. -