HOUSING PROBLEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21859, 23 July 1934, Page 12

HOUSING PROBLEMS

ECONOMIC FACTORS TERRACE SCHEME URGED CONDITIONS IN WELLINGTON Concern that economic influences during tho last three or four years were resulting in a tendency toward semislum bousing conditions was expressed by Mr N. C. Haigli, of tho Wellington City Engineer's Department, in a paper read last week before tho Wellington branch of tho Town-planning Institute of New Zealand. v

Mr. Haigli explained why, in his opinion, house rents in the Dominion, and particularly in Wellington, were unduly high He advocated as a part remedy tho adoption of terraced houses of the typo familiarly known in Great Britain A committee representing town planners, civil engineers, architects, builders, labour interests and others concerned with housing questions was appointed to investigate the question. Mr. Haigh said thero were differences of opinion as to what constituted a slum area; but, even taking the most favourable view, it must be apparent that the housing conditions in many parts of Wellington are far from beiug what they should. "We are still drifting from bad to worse, and it is time that wo began to advance," he said. "How many of our people are forced —apart from the results of the depression—to live in houses or parts of houses nob suited to their requirements?" Mr. Haigh asked. "It is only necessary to study the 'Wanted to Rent' column of the daily papers to realise what a demand there is for small flats and baches. Why cannot this demand be met in a decent way, instead of by the herding together of several families in dwellings meant for one family, or by the conversion of all manner of backyard sheds into baches ? The demand is a legitimate one, and surely it is only good business to meet it."