TE AWAMUTU COURIER Printed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays MONDAY, 16th SEPTEMBER, 1946 HOME OWNERSHIP

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 73, Issue 6282, 16 September 1946, Page 4

TE AWAMUTU COURIER Printed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays MONDAY, 16th SEPTEMBER, 1946 HOME OWNERSHIP

UNTIL RECENTLY the discussion of tenure in New Zealand centred around farming lands, and only scant reference was made to housing properties. The Government was proceeding almost without question in the pursuit of its State housing programme, the only question in public criticism being the rate of progress and the deferment of applications. On the broader question of tenure little was said. It remained at all times possible for the individual to build his own home and to arrange finance for house-building; but the forces at the Government’s command were concentrated on the provision of rental homes, in accordance with an announced policy. In recent weeks, however, the question of tenure has been drawn into the range of political discussion, with an open declaration that the Government’s rental tenure will he made an issue at the polls; and it may be noted that the Government has heeded the seriousness of the new situation now arising. From a stand which made the rental tenure absolute over all such properties, the Government has yielded some of its earlier claims by now allowing private citizens the right to acquire residential sections in State housing lands. This is a notable departure and is a serious break-away from earlier policies. It suggests that the Government is becoming fearful of the result, for it could well be a case of history repeating itself. The Seddon Government adopted a lease-in-perpetuity tenure, commonly known as the 999year leasehold, and in those days many thousands of voters were established throughout New Zealand under that form of tenure. The Massey Government awaited the favourable opportunity to offer the option of the freehold to the leaseholders, and it is merely historic record to say that the option of the freehold was one of the big factors in sweeping a Government out of office. So, to-day, the Holland party is presented with an opportunity to offer an option which many people will doubtless welcome. As a political issue it presents a very definite attack upon the policy which has held so tightly to the rental tenure But it can be regarded in another way entirely: the public interest and the general welfare of the nation. On this there can be little room for question that home-ownership is the ngt

ural desire of most citizens. From the days of the barons and the squires a struggle ended in systems of homeownership in Britain; the same desire was carried to New Zealand by the early colonists; and it is regarded as the traditional right of the citizen to own nis own home. The idea has been to pass the ownership of the homes into the hands of the people, and it is certainly an idealism which appeals that the nation should comprise the people rather than the few who happen to acquire ownership. The socialist idea that the State is the people has not the same meaning, and experience with State housing has not invariably borne out the claim that the State and the domestic interest of the individual can be attuned. In the wider aspects of finance there are disadvantages, not the least being that -a rental tenancy does not conform with the ideals of individual thrift and independence. It is very certain that the majority nf our people would claim the assistance of the State in a means enabling them*, to gradually aspire to homeownership, and as a basis of citizenship it is the goal of ambition to accord an interest and a stake in the country. Apart, then, from all considerations of politics or electioneering, it is basically desirable that home-ownership should be as generously encouraged as possible and the option of the freehold or the rental tenure is a desirable step. Beyond that it is highly necessary that all of the facilities which governments have at their disposal should be fully utilised in extending to individuals the' rights and the privilege of aspiring to acquire a home as the very foundation of all that is best in domestic life.