HIGH RENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9622, 30 March 1917, Page 3

HIGH RENTS

WHARES IN HUTT VALLEY BIG CHARGE MADE FOB SMALL ACCOMMODATION. From time to time complaints have been made regarding the inability of persons to obtain houses in "Wellington. Recently a business man "ho arrived in Wellington from Auckland, told a “Times” reporter that ho had made every endeavour to secure a house, suitable to his means, for the accommodation of his wife and family without success. A similar search was made in Hutt and Petone, but os there was no immediate prospect of securing a dwelling he was compelled to send his family to a seaside resort some distance away from the city. It is generally admitted that labour is scarce and building materials high in price, which probably account for a falling off in the erection of houses for letting purposes. There may be also another cause of tho ‘ ‘house famine, and that is tho fact that there is a big military camp near the city, winch is tho means of bringing a large number of families to Wellington. These have to be accommodated, consequently there are few empty houses. Since the War Regulations have come into operation rents have not advanced in many instances, otherwise the court news would disclose the fact, hut outside of the city a different state of tilings exists. . . Tn order to he near their work soldiers on tho permanent staff at Trentham camp are compelled to find a homo for their wives and families within reasonable distance of the camp. Many members of reinforcement drafts are also married men, and naturally while they are undergoing military training they desire to have those belonging to them as near as possible. On this account they are not particular what tho class of habitation may ho, and as the demand is greater than tho supply high rents are asked and paid. In order to gather some information on the subject a “Times” reporter made inquiries yesterday with the following result: That a groat distance from tho camp are a number of small buildings, some of which look like glorified fowlhouses, hut they are all rent-produc-ing, and high'rents at that. For three of these whares, in which some secondhand furniture has been placed (the cost of which would not amount to £10) a rent of’, 21s per week each is paid by a soldier. Tho sanitary conditions' are bad and during tho dry weather the inhabitants have been compelled! to carry the water required for cooking and other purposes. In a moderate-sized house practically ©very room is occupied by a different family, who in some cases have the use of the kitchen and bathroom for 22s 6d per week. In yet another case a tworoomed shed —called two rooms because a division is made by hanging a curtain in the centre —a soldier who is a private pays 20s per week, while close by an officer pays 25s per week for accommodation that'is slightly better in appearance. These are only a few of the two-roomed' whares that ar© dotted about the landscape. It is alleged that a tenant in order to secure ono of them was compelled to take it for twelve months at a rental of 18s per week, besides paying 26s to the lawyer who drew up tho agreement. The Commissioners of the Upper Hutt Town Board have interested themselves in the matter and intend to bring it under tho notice of the proper authorities.