SHORTAGE OF HOUSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17110, 15 March 1919, Page 8

SHORTAGE OF HOUSES.

WELLINGTON'S TROUBLES. POSITION VERY ACUTE. SMALL COTTAGES AT £2000. [BT TELEQRAPH.--OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Friday. A shortage of houses still exists in Wellington to an extent probably greater than ever before. It was thought that the termination of hostilities would herald a drift away from the city on the part of those who had taken up their residence here to be near headquarters, while their soldier relatives were away, but now, four months after the armistice, congestion is as acute as over, and the. heart of the housebroker rejoices. Why he should be glad is because of the fact that people being unable to rent houses at a reasonable figure, are being forced to buy, and the fact that the eager purchaser is about has the result of forcing up valueß. Indeed many cases could be quoted as showing that the purchaser does tie forcing himself, by offering a figure likely to tempt the owner. The prices now being paid for ordinary four, five, and six-roomed houses stagger outsiders, and simply amaze those who come from the Old Country. Only recently some cottages of five rooms, at least a quarter of a century old, were sold for £2000 each, whilst properties in favoured areas are proportionately higher priced. One reason for the continued house hunger is the high price of building. The reports of proceedings in the Arbitr ,I 'on Court and Conciliation Council tell the whole story. The cost of material may decrease a little towards the end of the year, but that .decrease is not going to counteract the rises in wages that are being given to all tradesman concerned in the building trade. Only a few weeks ago a contractor with a large job in hand lost several of his bricklayers, and has not been able to replace them. Consequently operations have, been' delayed. In this case the bricklayers had thrown up 17s a day to slaughter sl)ee.p at the meatworks.