HOUSING PROBLEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18218, 11 October 1922, Page 10

HOUSING PROBLEM.

BUILDING IN DOMINION. RELATION TO POPULATION. LEEWAY BEING OVERTAKEN. [by telegraph.-—special bepobtek] WELLINGTON. Tueuday. The Minister for Labour, Hon. G. J. Anderson, gave figures in the House today showing tho number of new houses built, or in course of erection in tho Dominion during tho year ended March 31 last, together with the increase of popUlai tion for the same period. . Dealing first with the centres of popw'.a- ---! tion, the Minister said tho total estimated increase in the population of the cities, boroughs, and town districts, was 26,610, while the total number of houses built, or in course of erection in the areas mentioned, was 4330, the latter figure being ascertained from returns supplied by local bodies. Adding to this, 55 workers' dwcl-! lings, partiallv built by the Labour Department at Papanui (Christchurch), the grand total was 4385. The number of houses required, estimated at 7£ persons to a fiveroomed house, which was tho standard adopted bv the Board of Health in 1919, I was 3280, so that the excess of houses built over the number required for tho increase of population was 1105. Taking the Dominion as a whole, the information supplied by the Government Statistician, used in conjunction with the returns sent in by the local bodies, showed that the total increase in population, including the country districts for the census year, April 17, 1921, to March 31. 1922, was 29,303. The estimated number of houses built in the country areas calculated j at tho same proportion of those built in ' the cities, boroughs, and town districts, as in a census year, namely one-third, was 1443, making, with the houses in the centres of population, a grand total of 5828. The number of houses required for the increase in population, on the basis mentioned, would be 4000 for the whole Dominion. The excess of houses-over tho number required," was, therefore, 1828. In answer to a question, tho Minister j stated that he was not able to say whether I the houses built by the Railway Depart- . ment for the use of it« employees were i included in the totals given, but he would have inquiries made.