THE HOUSING PROBLEM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17973, 28 June 1920, Page 6

THE HOUSING PROBLEM

CONDITIONS IN AUCKLAND,

(From Our Own Correspondent.) . AUCKLAND, June 25. ■the seriousness of the housing difficulty was emphasised at the meeting of the Citv Council last night, when thoro was a disoussion on the question whether the oonversion of boarding-houses into tenement buildings, containing a number of flats ;s likely to set up a condition of slumdom, or to relieve the present problem. The matter came up in the Works Committee report recommending the granting of a permit to convert a dwelling at Parnell Jnto four residential flats. 'Phe engineer, in a memorandum attached to the application. expressed the opinion that while the building of such tiats should not be discouraged in the suburbs, the conversion of buildings into such was not helping tho preseoit acute position.

Cr T. Blood worth said he considered this conversion of boarding-houses into tenements was making the house shortage moro aoute Many people had to go as far out as Otahuhu to obtain rooms. They knew of one woman who had been compelled to enter domestic service because she could not otherwise secure accommodation in the oity.

Cr G. Baildon. chairman of committee, said the committee had been of opinion that lt was helping to solve the house shortage problem by granting applications °ui I s nur p> an d making houses availr? a P ro ' l ' 1 " e f° r more tenants. a 11 Skelton said the conditions in Auckland at present wore shocking. There were many cases in which six or seven wmte people were crowded together into one room. Ho knew of a man and wife and their family who were paying £2 5a vee k for one room. People were boinf bled white." The conditions among the poorer people were especially shocking, many of them being crowded into mere cottages. The committee was quite justified m what it recommended. The Mayor remarked that there would be numerous applications of the same sort and the council should formulate its policy! After further discussion tile committee's recommendation granting the particular application was adopted.