Suva's Overcrowding

Prabipm Grows

Prom Our Suva correspondent TT , TA ™ u oc SUVA, March 25.

CJUVA’S overcrowding problem is

still with us. Above four Renwick Road shops, now being demolished by Gty Council order, more than 50 Fij.ans Sr has night. Now that their shelter has gone, they are probably jammed into some other overcrowded place, . - +v ,_ The Government is aware of the situation. At the last Legislative Council session it was stated that if an increase in housing construe tion by priv&tc enterprise did not occur as a result of the new Fair Rents Ordinance, the formula for fixing rents would be reviewed and revised on a less generous scale. u Many tenants among whom Indian tenants of Indian landlords were some of the most vocal, opposed any tinkering with the old system of rent-control, but one of I f, f ™mf P n mntmSnThaUt C would

enrnnra!? I sntetanttel n

biSifdtae substantial increase in The New Ordinance applies only to the main centres. An assurance was given by the Government that

tween Suva and Nausori, or near Navua) landlords were taking advantage of accommodation shortages and were charging exorbitant rents, control would promptly be applied to tbe areas affected.

Further difficulties have followed ?L rf e fl x r w Sio f!! in pin dip boundaries to include almost all Huts and Authority (which realised that In mos t cases t be occupants could do no better) suddenly had to come up to city standards. But on a wage of about £3 a week a septic tank is an impossibility> and more often than not the shacks are not worth i mnrov ine anvwav p g ’ y y- Fi.jiH.ns B.nd people of Polynesian descent predominate in the Peninsula region, most of them on low wages Those evicted from condemned huts have either moved in with relatives or friends (causing more overcrowding) or have moV ed out to rural areas. In the seC ond group those who work in Suva have to find bus fares of 1/a day or more . Again, some of those S vic /? d , ha l'u been }? ft virtl i?, lly des {!, tute ’ thus creatm « another problem.

The obvious solution, a Government housing scheme, is something which the Government seems to prefer to avoid.