STATE HOUSES IN SPREYDON

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22308, 24 January 1938, Page 12

STATE HOUSES IN SPREYDON

Official Opening By Mr E. J. Howard QUALITY OF DWELLINGS PRAISED The high standard of workmanship and quality of materials in the Slate houses at Spreydon were commented on by '•peakcrs at th? ofi'cial opening on Saturday afternoon. AH hough rain fell during the afternoon, there was a good attendance of spectators. On the official platform were Messrs E. J. Howard, member of Parliament for Chrbtchurch South, who declared the dwellings open, J. W. Bcanland, Mayor cf Christcluirch, A. Richards, member of Parliament for Roskill. C Morgan Williams, member for Kaiapoi, T. H. McCombs, member for Lyltclton. R. Wilkins, president of the Spreydon Burgesses' Association, W. W. Stewart, supervisor, West Spreydon Baptist Church, .7. G. Greenslade, secretary of the Spreydon School Committee, and (I Cordell, D. Dnlton, and J. Johns, contractors. Apologies for their ab-M-nce were received from the Hon. H. T. Armstrong the Hon. D. G. Sullivan. Mr S. G. Holland, M.P.. and Mr H. S. S. Kyle, M.P.

"I hope that a considerable amount of happiness will be grouped'round this plot of ground in the near future," said Mr Howard. He then outlined the progress of the housing schemes throughout the Dominion. In addition to the houses which wore available for renting there was still money to be obtained by those who wished to build themselves, Mr Howard said. The Government deserved congratulations for what it had done in the Spreydon district in building houses, said Mr Beanlanc!. He himself had been in business in the building trada in ChriFtchurch for 36 or 33 years, and had done all kinds of work. A beautiful .lob had been made of the construction of the houses, and the persons living in them should be very happy indeed. He was pleased to see that the Government was taking up the other side of the question and had promised to consider a scheme for \>cvEons who were not able to afford the rents required for the present State houses. Some of the builders had looked askance at the houses, but they were now completed, and were an excellent job. While some of the builders had said that the specifications were hard, the quality was there. If some of the older houses in the city had lasted 50 years the Government nouses would last 100 years. "I am a builder, like Mr Beanlancl, and in my experience of building in and round Christchurch I do not think I have noticed any houses constructed for workers to equal these," said Mr Wilkins. "The materials are of the best and the interior fittings of a high quality. Some time ago the Burgesses' Association communicated with Mr Lee about naming some of the streets after men who had been prominent in years gone by. and I am pleased to say that one of the streets will be named Winsor crescent, in memory of Mr W. H. Winsor, who was Mayor of the district some years ago. An endeavour is also being made to have one of the streets named after Mr W. R. Gahagan, who was the second Mayor of Spreydon." The dwellings were then declared open by Mr Howard. Of the 61 dwelings which will be built in Spreydon only two have yet been completed ready.for occupation.