THE HOUSE FAMINE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10597, 24 May 1920, Page 5

THE HOUSE FAMINE

WHO ARE TO BLAME ?

VARIOUS OPINIONS OX THE POSITION IN WELLINGTON.

UNSELFISH CO-OPERATION URGED.

In the course of investigations as to whether the house famine in "Wellington was being relieved a ‘‘Times’’ reporter was presented with several opinions. THE HOUSE HUNTER. ■‘l can’t understand what has como over Wellington,” said an ltd house hunter to a “Times” representative. “Some years when I was here, houses, while not plentiful, .were at least obtainable at a reasonable figure, or they could be rented or leased for a terra at a figure well within the income of a £4 or £5 a week man. Now. a decent house for an average family costs from '£l2oo to £I6OO to huy, and the rent, (when a rented house can bo obtained), runs from 30s to 45s per week. There are cheaper

houses. I know,'but-most of them are mere shacks, and some of them are deceptions and snares, and to purchase them spells disaster. “I must confess that the present position in the capital city in the matter of housing is not only discon-certing—-it is appalling. I have had agents on the look-out for the, but I

?annot get what might bo called a decent residence for myself, wife, and family, though 1 afm prepared to nay i decent rent. It's a heart-breaking ioh, and I’m sick of it. I’ve tramped

the city and suburbs in vain, and' I find that I must continue on at present —that is, living in the bottom part of an eight-roomed house, l while the owner, his wife, and family five on the top. Somehow, it doesn't seem like a home—l feel like a casual boarder—but that's the nosition, it’s tho position of hundreds of others, and I feel as though the Empire city doesn’t desert o its name.” “XO PER TOT'S ATTEMPT TO'SOLVE THE PROBLEM.”

“A shortage? Of course there is a shortage.” said a. well-known property agent. “There is no use in political and municipal heads telling the people that ' the nosition is being improved, and that the few dwellings being erected are 'going to make any material

difference.’ Apart from the fact that locality and stylo are both open +o criticism—l am not going to stress either noint—mo serious attcnipt has been

made to cope with the position, which

is unquestionably acute—more so than Ministers of the Crown apnarently ap-

preciate. The people who are not only inconvenienced, but are subjected to considerable hardship, are many and of various classes. I know of several! cases whqre the house shortage has ■proved a very severe handicap to families. I know of cases where good opportunities—meaning considerable advancement to the individuals—have had to he turned down, because it was found impossible to secure houses unless sums which I admit wore dccidedlv high (the prices perhaps ‘exorbitant’) were paid. It is not every man who can finance these deals; although I say it myself, they are not easily arranged. “It is no use blaming the land agents. They are out to do the best they can for clients, but they cP'i T,r >t control the market and the present-day conditions are certainlv not of their making, nor can th"y take anv action to remedy the evils that certainlv exist. They are as powerless as the rrablic. It is one of the after-war problems not anticipated by onr nolitic'al leaders.

and if they cannot look ahead and an. ' tieipate—surely others should not he Warned. As to the house building schemes in operation. T would really like to examine the time sheets, for at the present rate of nrogress some of the buildings will on-lv he ready when the crisis has passed/'

A BUILDER'S VIEWS. “It is a peculiar thing,’’ said a prominent builder to a ‘’Times” representative, “that we are blamed for carrying on work, while other sectiomi of the community arc quarrelling as to who is to blame for the present position. , As ,a matter of fact, no one should be blamed. For five years wa have had to scrape along, and now. when the war is over, the handicap of all that period' has to bo made up. Building—essential or non-essential,—. must continue; and I would, like someone to define what a non-essential building is, and w'ho the lunatics are who axe spending money on such buildings. In my opinion, all buildings are essential to Someone, and that someone has a right to bo heard with the others. Then,- again, comes the, question of business obligations, contracts, promises—written, verbal, or -Implied. Can all these, on which considerable business is based, be swept aside by the wave of some dictator’s hand? It can’t be done, and, what is more, it won’t be done.

TRUE CO-OPERATION URGED. ; ‘lf a serious attempt were made to secure effective co-operation between the varying interests," and some endeavour made to eliminate the selfish interests that so frequently prove an obstacle to effective work in the interests of the people as a whole,—■ then something practical would result. There has been too much recrimination, and in the battle of words the object has been neglected, if not forgotten. Take a prominent faction — the Labour leaders. They try and put the blame on us, on the Government, the City Council, and everybody; but I might ask tho question: What have they done to cope with the difficulty? They have criticised, advised, and passed resolutions, but as for practical work, they have not done -—that" —(a sharp snap of the fingers;. “What could they do? They have funds; they have the labour; they have tho experts; and they should have the incentive, seeing that it is tho public interest they are serving. , If so many of their own members arc herded like beasts in insanitary dwellings. it is a pity that, with all their boasted knowledge of the position and the gratuitous advice given to individuals, organisations, municipalities, members of Parliament, and Ministers, they have not got busy thcmnclvcs and done something practical to relievo the diftrf«B of their own fellow-men.” THE SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE. “If some spirit of sacrifice were shown,” ho said, in conclusion, “I believe a lob of the problems facing us to-day would be solved. That was a iplenclid article in the ‘Tunes’ on Christianity as applied to tho world problems o‘f to-day. I know that many people think only of to-day, but the morrow 3 ' inevitably cornea, and preparer! hnvo to stand tlin bnffctinji. fio it is with all social, economic, and industrial problems. Man;, the igno-

rant, the selfish,, preach and practice hut for the day. and when the morrow comes tbev and their blind followers are overwhelmed with the donator of their own making. It is then they turn and condemn the conditions which their selfishness and egotism have naturally assisted in bringing into being” . *