PUBLIC MEETING

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1937, Page 4

PUBLIC MEETING

HOKITIKA HOUSING SHORTAGE. Considering the inclement weather an extremely large number of people attended the public meeting which was held in the Town Hail last evening under the auspices of the Hokitika Branch of the New Zealand Labour Party. 4he president, Mr J. L. Turner, presided as chairman. ' Mr Turner said that it was necessary first of all to prove to the Hon. J. U. Lee that there was a real shortage ot houses in Hokitika. r ihe Government could not be expected to introduce its State Housing Sthenic into this locality until that shortage was shown to exist. A letter was received from the Hon. J. 0. Lee Commissioner of Housing, stating that the Government proposes to undertake a national housing scheme and that he would he pleased to investigate the local position on his proposed visit to Hokitika in the neat future. A letter was also received from Mr C. Jolley, who pointed out that many people, like himself, were living in houses little better than hovels and that rents were far too high—a statement which was corroborated by those present.

Mr K. \V. Heeqan stated that many people in Hokitika wished, not so much to build a home, as to he able to rent one. it was known, he said, that there had recently been twelve applications for one residence. He suggested that the area of seven acres known as the “Botanical Gardens Reserve” was a suitable site for twenty prospective houses, and that a resolution was needed to approach the .Borough Council in order to have the reserve lilted. Mr A. Lawn, in supporting these remarks said that the fact that the Borough Council did not take up the loan money really did not matter. What did matter was the Council’s apathy in face of the shortage. Tlio man in the street, lie vowed, knew more about the position than most members of the Council. He emphasised the need of information ■ regarding that shortage. He mentioned the power scheme which was being established, ana the two new gold dredges. The men who work on these projects would require homes, if the houses were nonexistent they would he compelled to leave their families in Christchurch or Greymouth to live in houses built under /the housing scheme. Was that gooil business for Hokitika? Mr L. Edgecombe endorsed Mr Lawn’s remarks concerning this increas. ed floating population which would he concerned with the power scheme, gold dredges and the general opening up of the district. These people, he said, would be in exactly the same position us he was himself. He had been compelled to leave his family in Greymouth and board in an hotel.

Air Lawn moved, and Air W. L. Robertson seconded, the proposal that information he collected by the Housing Committee of the Hokitika Labour Party concerning the sections for sale and their prices; the number of houses in Hokitika to let; and the reserves available for Building; and that th'e Borough and County Councils he asked to co-operate in ascertaining the housing shortage. Air W. L. Robertson suggested that a questionaire he drawn up by the Housing Committee with a view to gaining particulars from those who wished to rent State houses or build with the help of the State.

This was adopted. Seven members of the audience gave in their names before the meeting closed.

The Housing Committe consists of: Messrs A. H. Lawn, E. W. Heenan and S. H. Drooingoole.