PRESENT HIGH RENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6491, 10 April 1908, Page 5

PRESENT HIGH RENTS

THE HOUSING PROBLEM. QUESTION OF PROVIDING WORKERS’ HOMES. DISCUSSION AT CITY COUNCIL. At the City Ccnncil meeting last night Councillor Hindmarsh moved: That it is desirable that the citizens of Wellington should immediately acquire 250 acres of, land in the Vv a dost own district on ■which to erect houses for suitable tenants, and that the City Council endeavour to arrange with the Wellington Harbour Board means 'of providing wharf employees and others with homes at rents reasonably proportionate to earnings. The mover said there was an opportunity now of getting'the necessary land cheaper than would bo tho case when trams were put down in that locality The greatness m Wellington was always measured by the amount of its imports an! exports, but they should rather measure it by tho happiness of the people. It was time the Council faced tho question, for it could easily set aside a certain amount for this purpose every year.' The Harbour Board was a large employes- of labour, and they might cooperate with that body in this matter. The people were -now almost demoralised by the high rents they had to pay. If the resolution .was agreed to, a special meeting of the Council could be held within two months to consider this housing problem.

Councillor Fisher seconded the motion. He did not, however, favour any particular locality being selected at this stage. Tho Council could create a land fund for the purpose of purchasing these areas. _ The tramways extended to Wadostown would result in building up increased profits to private owners of land there. Land so purchased now would bo a great asset in time.’ Theda should be a counter blast by the Council against the present high rents. ' Councillor Luke said we ’ wore very much behind tho municipalities of the Old Country in this matter. A committee of the Council had already had this question in hand, but so far had not been able to solve it. He agreed with the suggestion that the Council should set apart a certain sum each year for this purpose without at once launching out on a very large scheme. He felt it was the bounden duty of the Council to afford relief in this matter. They bad that night voted £IOOO for the purposes of ihe 700, which was no doubt a laudable object, but the warts of the people were far more pressing, for many workers now paid rents much in excess t.f what they were able to do. Councillor Biss thought it would be far bettor for the Council, instead o£ passing resolutions, on this matter, to face the music, and raise, say, a sum of £SOOO with which to make a start with the building of houses of two stories on the Council’s land in Adelaide mad. If that proved a, success, as he felt sure it would bo, they eould extend the scheme in a further direction.

Councillor Smith, whilst be did not object to the principle, thought they should distribute the houses in suitable localn.es, so that working men wculd not have to pay more than they were paying at present. Councillor McLaren believed they could well ask the co-operation of the Harbour Board in thU jnattcrl They had asked that in regard to the reclamation of Evans Bay, and surely the election of workers’ homes was a very much more important subject. He supported the motion because he believed that it was the duty of ihe Council to undertake this business. Councillor Fletcher moved as an amendment, that the locality mont.oted in the resolution be eliminated, with a view, to giving the Council wider scope. The Mayor pointed out that there was a wide difference between the legislation here and in Glasgow in regard to the erection of workers’ homes. The Municipal Conference had applied to the Government asking it to bring in a similar law here as prevailed in Glasgow, and Mr T. F. Martin was nowdrafting a resolution on the subject. He dare say that the old committee could ho resuscitated and make a report to the Cminoil. Councillor Sliirtcliffe hoped that the amendment would be carried, .as he, with Councillor Smith, -realised the difficulty of getting sufficient land for this purpose in any one locality. Councillor Ballinger said the high rents wore due to the high land values. But what had put the rents up? The everlasting demand for an increase of wages, the increased cost of building. 4nd then she landlords were blamed. They ware dealing with the ratepayers’ ncncy, and ho was not in sympathy with using it to build houses for workers.

The amendment was carried, and the motion as amended was agreed to, a special meeting of tile Council to ho held within two months to consider the matter. '

In reply to Councillor Ballinger, the Mayor said it would be necessary to put any scheme decided on before the' ratepayers.