WHO BUILDS THE HOUSES?

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 206, 1 September 1938, Page 10

WHO BUILDS THE HOUSES?

The State housing scheme, in the opinion of the New Zealand Sawmillers' Association, has had a " depressing and deterrent effect " upon building activity by private enterprise. In support of that statement the assseiation declares that timber production has not been ' as great as it was prior to the launching of the State programme. , The peak year ■was 1925-26, when the tofal production exceeded 353,000,000 feet; the estimate for last year was 330,000,000. Moreover, the average number of private dwellings erected in the nine years from 1922 to 1930 was 5787 per year; in 1938 it was 4153, apart from 1890 erected by the State. These figures show clearly that despite its various discouragements private enterprise in house building is still far more important than State enterprise, and it is reasonable to suppose that if those discouragements were removed or modified it would to-day be playing a still greater part. But the Government regards State enterprise as good in itself—and that, for the Government, is and will be a sufficient argument for it, as long as the money lasts.