Building Houses

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27048, 25 May 1953, Page 8

Building Houses

The Government has set about its preparations for the national conference on housing, to be held in Wellington early in August, with reassuring thoroughness. The several Government departments concerned directly or indirectly in the house-building industry have made detailed studies of problems bearing on the objective of the conference, which the Acting-Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) described as the determination of a broad policy which would “enable houses to be “built at a lower cost and allow “ prospective purchasers to obtain “ finance, if not in greater amounts, “at least more readily and from “ more sources This is undoubtedly the right aim. The housing shortage in this country is still acute in spite of the high priority given to domestic building since the war. The shortage persists mainly because the building industry is heavily overcommitted; and an industry continually strained by demands which it lacks the resources to meet cannot be an efficient industry. That undoubtedly is the main reason for the present high cost of building—disproportionately high in comparison with other goods and services. The ill effects of this condition are now mainly economic; before very long, unless corrective measures are taken, they will be social and political. For the time being, there is more than sufficient demand, from persons who can afford houses at these inflated prices, to keep the house-building section of the construction industry fully engaged; in spite of high prices the industry is building as many houses as its present capacity and its present state of organisation will allow. What will happen when the demand for houses by persons of means is largely satisfied and the many more who want houses are unable- to afford them? There will still be a housing shortage—perhaps all the more serious because much of the post-war temporary and transit housing will have reached the end of its useful life—but there will be a reduced demand for building; and a new kind of class distinction —• between the home-owners and the homeless—might well arise. This is a prospect which should spur the Government and every interest connected with the building industry to make the utmost efforts towards the solution of the present problem. Clearly the immediate task is to devise methods that will permit the building industry and the many related and ancillary industries td make the best use of their present limited resources; the task for the longer term is to expand those

resources and to establish cc nditions in which the industry will be assured of full and steady employment for them in the future. These are the essentials; and care should be taken that they are not lost sight of in the enthusiasm for competitions in house-designing' and simplifying building practices and the many other features of the “campaign”. These will all be useful, especially if they are used to direct attention to the main problem, which is to put the .whole of the building industry on a stronger footing, so that it will be better able to perform its vital role in the national economy.