»»»

32

THE  HOUSING  QUESTION

*■  We  found  that  the  rates,  added  to  the  rent  charged,  mean
that  the  houses  are  impossible  for  workpeople.  For  instance,  in
Bristol,  where  houses  have  been  built  in  most  admirable  positions
and  in  the  most  admirable  way,  for  a  living-room,  parlour  and
three  bedrooms  the  rent  and  rates  amount  to  2is.  2d.  weekly.  .  .  ."
“  There  is  a  total  charge  of  21s.  6d.  per  week  for  the  houses
mentioned,  17s.  yd.  for  a  house  with  a  living-room  and  three
bedrooms,  and  16s.  for  a  house  with  a  living  room  and  two
bedrooms,  and  that  is  more  than  the  ex-service  men  can  afford.”

SIXTH  EXCUSE
That  the  Cost  will  be  Ruinous

SEVENTH  EXCUSE
That  the  necessary  Capital  cannot  be
Found
The  former  excuse  attempts  to  show  that  the  British
people,  now  and  in  the  future,  cannot  afford  the  annual
charges  which  a  complete  State-aided  Housing  Scheme
will  bring  on  the  Exchequer,  owing  to  the  impossibility
of  fixing  the  rents  high  enough  to  meet  the  interest
and  sinking  fund  on  loans  together  with  the  usual
landlord’s  expenses  for  repairs,  voids  and  management.
The  latter  excuse  is  an  assertion  that  the  Government
and  the  Local  Authorities  combined  cannot,  at  least
without  grave  detriment  to  the  finances  of  the  nation,
borrow  the  money  for  paying  the  builders,  quite  apart
from  the  question  of  being  able  to  pay  annual  charges.
Let  us  quote  once  again  the  Minister  of  Health  in