STATE HOUSES AT SPREYDON

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22796, 23 August 1939, Page 3

STATE HOUSES AT SPREYDON

TENANTS POINT OUT DEFECTS INSPECTION BY MINISTER “The tenants may be doing the department a very fine service by drawing attention to .the defects in the houses,” remarked the Hon. H. -T. Armstrong (Minister for Housing) after he had "visited the State housing scheme at Spreydon yesterday afternoon. “Any complaints made will be investigated immediately,. , because we want to be responsible for producing the perfect house.” _ The deficiencies of the houses were explained to the Minister when he met a number of women at a house at Spreydon. They were exceedingly reasonable with their requests, he said.

Complaints of dampness in a few houses were discussed. Mr Armstrong said some sweating was to be expected, because the houses were new, and the other causes of dampness could be remedied. Other details discussed with the tenants were the location of fires and the provision of cheaper water-heating apparatus. The Minister said that the cost of electricity for water heating, on top of the rent, was prohibitive in some cases. The tenants wanted incinerators placed in the kitchens, to provide water and general heating. “The officer in charge .of the department in Christchurch attended the interview.” said the Minister, “and we will profit from any mistakes discovered. The visit to the houses was well worth while. It is important that I should know of defects in past designs so that they will not be repeated in the future.”