STATE HOUSES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 207, 2 September 1936, Page 10

STATE HOUSES.

NEW DEPARTMENT.

MR. A. TYNDALL DIRECTOR. HIGH QUALIFICATIONS. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The appointment of Mr. A. Tyndall, Under-Secretary of Mines, to take charge of the new Housing Department as director of housing construction was announced by the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. M. J. Savage, to-day. Mr. Tyndall will continue to act as UnderSecretary of Mines.

It is generally believed tliat Mr. J. A. Lee, M.P. for Grey Lynn, will be appointed a Parliamentary under-secre-tary under the Civil List Amendment Act passed some days ago, and will take full charge of the housing construction operations. Mr. Lee is at present Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister, but until lie is appointed by Governor-General's warrant under the new legislation that is really only a courtesy title. His official appointment, which is expected to be announced shortly, will mean that in his new posi-

tion lie will be associated with the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, who is responsible for the administration of the State Advances Corporation ana the Housing Account.

In referring to the general policy of housing construction to-day Mr. Savage said that the offices of the new Housing Department were being opened in the Dominion Farmers' Institute Building in Wellington. The administration Qt accounts and the letting of houses after construction would be carried out by the State Advances Corporation. A detailed statement in connection with the construction and letting of new houses would be issued within the next few weeks. "Mr. Tyndall is a fully-qualified engineer and in addition a man of considerable academic attainments and breadth of vision," said Mr. Savage. "He has been in charge of main highways, has travelled overseas on official visits and has a fine reputation which extends well beyond New Zealand. His general qualifications for the post are such that I do not think the Government could have obtained the services of a better man."

About £3,000,000 is to be spent on the construction of houses for a start, and the initial effort is likely to be directed towards relieving the present acute housing shortage in Wellington and Auckland.