HOUSING SHORTAGE IN WELLINGTON

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22804, 1 September 1939, Page 10

HOUSING SHORTAGE IN WELLINGTON

One Thousand a Year To Be Built at Taita , . (PRCS3 ASSOCIATION TELBOBA1I.) WELLINGTON, August 31. The Government’s intention was .to build at least 1000 houses a year at Taita while there was land available, said Mr H. E. Combs, member of Parliament ior 'WeWmgten Suburbs, when - he .spoke in Petone ■ , to-day to a meeting v of- councillors find . - industrial representatives' whp met to consider the housing problem as- affecting Petone industries and their employees. The idea was not to settle the problem of Petone or any other particular area, but to give houses to those desperately in need, said Mr Combs. . The urgency of the housing problem was increasing rather than' diminishing, in spite of the Government’s efforts. Four months, ago the Minister for Housing .(the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) had 6000 applications. on the books of his department for houses urgently needed by Wellington people. Now there were 7000, in spite of the fact that many houses had, been completed and occupied in the meantime. There would Be a large number of tradesmen coming off the Exhibition shortly, and he understood that it was the intention of the department to accept, the services, of every one’of these available in an endeavour to accelerate the building programme. Another speaker said that because' of the shortage of juvenile female labour there was 25 per cent, of married women . among bis female employees. Many of these and their husbands were living in rooms; and the wives to; go out working rather than spend the day in the confined atmosphere of'a room.