RENTAL HOUSE BUILDING

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27634, 15 April 1955, Page 15

RENTAL HOUSE BUILDING

APPEAL TO LOCAL BODIES MINISTER’S REQUEST FOR ACTION “The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, April. 14. The Minister of Housing (Mr W. Sullivan) has appealed by letter to local bodies to build rental houses to overcome the shortage which, he says, “often proves a serious obstacle to the development of small country towns and the maintenance of their essential services. Clearly the community in general must benefit from assisting those who help to provide its services,” says Mr Sullivan. School teachers, Governfnent and bank employees and agricultural inspectors are given by Mr SUllivan as examples of people who do not remain long enough in a town to buy a house. Mr Sullivan said that local bodies were concerned and some committees were attacking the problem constructively. One county council, concerned at the difficulty of housing school teachers, had applied to the Local Government Loans Board to finance the building of six two-person flats, partly furnished. Two other county councils were well ahead with the planning of accommodation for school teachers, and yet another council had convened a meeting of representatives of all the school committees in its area to ascertain the need and the type of building that would best meet the position. Another county had obtained plans for two one-person units with an area of only 730 square feet for the two units. “These are self-contained,” Mr Sullivan said, “and provide for bedsitting rooms. The rents will be within' the reach of teachers and will cover all costs.

“There must be other local bodies who will see in these proposals a means of easing the problem throughout their districts.” Mr Sullivan, who said he was concerned to see all sections of the community properly housed, told the local authorities that finance was available. The local body planning service which he was having prepared would be able to help. Some education boards had plans suitable for \teachers’ houses?