BUILDING BOOM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 243, 14 October 1935, Page 5

BUILDING BOOM.

ENGLAND'S RECOVERY ELIMINATING SLUM AREAS. PROVISION OF AIR DEFENCE. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, this day. The recovery of England, its checry optimism and its industrial aad agricultural ilevelopment impressed Mr. C. Stanley Smith, managing director of the "Evening Star," during his holiday there, and he has returned with many observations to make on tee swiftly changing scene, as compared with that of seven years ago.

In an interview he said that the number of unemployed was fewer to-day than during the past 14 years, that

tradc was starting to boom, and that the average Englishman was less concerned over the possibility of his country being involved in war than was the average New Zealander. The busiest of all the industries was the building and allied trades. Building was being accelerated to do away with slum areas, and the industry was also being developed to alleviate the unemployment problem. Brick and cement were mainly used in the construction of buildings in England, where wood did not appear to be popular. Building was proceeding apace throughout the central part of England, and the truly rural districts of a few years ago were being opened up as residential sites. Building was being assisted by Government subsidy and municipal authorities were active in advancing their building programmes. Despite all this unprecedented activity, with houses to the number of 0000 being erected weekly, the opinion was that the complete femoval of slums would involve another 15 years' work. The newly built Suburb of Harrow, near London, already had a population of 100,000.

Realising that England's defence in the future would depend on a strong air force, the English people were rnak-

ing provision for an extension of the forco and the development of the aeroplane industry. One firm had erected huge works near London and a fine new village was springing up. Near every aerodrome building was proceeding, and many recruits' were offering for the Air Force. The opinion in England was that the most serious threat of attack would be from the air, and the public were being educated to safeguard themselves. Agriculture at Home was also being developed, the 'policy since the Great War being that England should be more self-contained and less dependent on overseas countries for her primary products.