NEW ZEALAND WELFARE LEAGUE.

Colonist, Volume LXII, Issue 15345, 8 April 1920, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND WELFARE LEAGUE.

THE HOUSING QUESTION

A VERY JUST.DEMAND.

In many/parts of New Zealand working people arc demanding housing accommodation. This demand is beyond doubt very acute and exceedingly serious as affecting many families. \\e read that in Palmerston North and other secondary towns there exists a state of house famine. In Wellington the conditions are so utterly deplorable that they constitute a grave public danger. It is not the slightest exaggeration to say that there are thousands/of children now being brought up in such an environment, owing to the want of housing accommodation, as to cause both physical and moral degradation. The conditions under which the mothers and house-wives hate to drag out their existence, deprived of the most common means ot maintaining the decencies of home life, constitute a standing menace. lhe miners in their villages, the railwaymen, returned soldiers, corporation employees and all manner of working people are feeling the burden of this great want. Think of workers stranded .in Wellington having to pay 255, 30s, and even over that for the shelter of a single room. Whilst1 our people are hearing of many demands, let us realise that this demand for houses is the most just and the most urgent of all. It is of no use blaming those in authority to-day, for the bad conditions existing, though much blame will rest on them if they do not act quickly and fully towards i remedying the evil. We are suffering for the sin of the last fifty years and are all in a measure to blame, because we were indolent in the direction of betterment when it was very much easier than it is now. We note that a builder at Palmerston North, says, "It costs the builder 100 per cent more to build a house now than in the pre-war period, on the score of labour alone ; 50 per cent rise in wages and 50 per cent less outout." Now we do not admit that such an increase need obtain, if it does, for we know of instances where the labour output is being well maintained. In our opinion, the- decrease in output is often due more to lack of efficient management than any other particular cause. FACTORS TOWARDS A REMEDY. The big work of the proper housing of our people can, in our opinion, only be adequately dealt with by adopting comprehensive schemes of operation. lhe legislation that has been passed which provides for Government, Departmental Municipal and private, industrial schemes of building, with the state financial backing is good, so far as it goes. It has to jbe remembered, however, that legislation does not of itself, produce results. The dynamic power, after all, is administration and personal. What is wanted is a thoroughly active policy of administration in the hands of men who will show enthusiasm in the work, and that all the factors of the problem shall be kept to the fore by the Government, and other authorities that are operating. These factors, which should have attention in a comprehensive way, are:—

(1) Cost of land. (2) • Cost of building materials, (3) Cost of labour. (4) Cost of management. (5) Locality and planning. (6) Transport and distribution (7) Standardisation.

In respect to ail schemes, the Government should exercise full oversight in regard to these various factors. The authorities operating should be in the] closest co-operation with reference to the methods of securing the land necessary, and the full powers of the State should he exercised to prevent the increasing of values. Building materials ! should, we consider, be dealt with on a large Scale by the methods of commandeer or State purchase. The fullest returns and reports as to'costs-and systems of management should, be regularly furnished. On the question of the part labour must take in this national work, we would strongly counsel that instead of labour being considered as a commodity, the personal side of the equation be taken into full consideration.. The object of this work is to meet the Just demands of labour, and if the workers are satisfied that their inI dustry is not going to be taken merely Ito enrich a few individuals, they are likely to put their best efforts into it. In some instances, in order to get the best results, it would be well to consider the matter of employing workmen on direct contracts instead of the ordinary wages' system. The' men of the various building trades ■ should be taken into full confidence,and consulted as to how they consider the best results can be secured. Whilst preI senting this we have in mind a scheme that actually is in operation at the present time. It is in charge of a man of broad mind who initiated the work 'by calling a number of tradesmen together j and candidly conferring with them, j The workmen have taken contracts for j the work, and whilst they are making very good pay, it is very satisfactory all 'round, because they are working well and turning out good jobs with expedition. The earnings of jthese men are above the average, but, owing to j their active participation and keen in-| terest in the jobs, the result is a lower labour cost to be added to the rental of the houses than ordinarily obtains. We must drop old methods as the abnormal conditions call for foresight, inventiveness and courage. EFFICIENT AND ESSENTIAL WORK FIRST. It lias been often stated that the! labour cannot foe got for building houses on a large scale. We would like to ask, j has any serious attempt been made to register and mobilize all the labour that might be available? In our opinion a great mistake was made when the National Efficeney Boards and its various local committees went out of office. Their constant efforts towards! securing efficiency and their special attention to the need for doing essential work first was very helpful during the war. "Why the Government dropped these special efforts and acted as if after the war we were just going to revert to pre war conditions and things would right themselves, we fail to understand. The fact stares us in the face that our after war problems are just as serious as those during the war. The demand for efficiency is as insistent as ever it was, but it is being left as a matter for general debate. From what we know ..we are confident that the time of many skilled tradesmen is being taken up in-work that is not nearly as essential as the building of houses. The Wellington Progress League hag,recently mentioned a few classes of work as less essential, these instances can be added to without exaggeration. During the war it has to be remembered how pleas were manufactured for the Military Service Boards to -show that industries would break down if men were taken, yet by concentration on essentiol requirements the Dominion was able to release 100,000 men and still keep its industries going. The weakness of our present state is that we are dissipating our energies in dealing with all manner of minor issues instead of concentrating Tipon one big problem, such as this "housing question. Its call for solution is one of the most urgent we have to face. Our contention is ■that what is wanted in order to be effective is the fullest measure of cooperation between all concerned, the Government, local bodies, employers and workers. The veriest thought ot

the workers should be secured towards this end, and we are confident that it the authorities will consult Labour m ; an open minded way, that thte ivage | earners will readily respond. i If thero is any citizens' question,, this is it, and fo"r the common welfare we trust that all sectional prejudice •will be set aside in order to cope with the trouble successfully.—ConTmumcated by the Welfare League. ■ j