ACCOMMODATION FOR AGED

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27988, 7 June 1956, Page 14

ACCOMMODATION FOR AGED

GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES

Government subsidies, grants, and loans to help with the accommodation of aged persons were surveyed by Mr J. B. Jenkins, the chairman, speaking to the annual meeting of the Canter-bury-Westland Division of the National Party yesterday. In the last six years, more than £1,500,000 had been provided, he said. Capital value of the accommodation provided with Government assistance exceeded £2.205,000, and accommodation had been provided directly for 1600 aged persons, he said. In 1950, the Government had introduced a policy of providing half the cost of homes for the aged built by religious and welfare organisations, and last year the subsidy was increased to 75 per cent. Under that scheme, the £54,607 raised by the Christchurch Rotary Club became worth £218,432. Subsidies and grants in six years amounted to £882,092, Mr Jenkins said, and a further £57.432 had been made available in loans.

The Government was also assisting in the provision of pensioner housing by local authorities, he said, and in six years had provided £211,410 in subsidies and £362,685 in loans. The

present rate of subsidy was 50 per cent.

Government subsidies had also been •given to young people’s hostels, and amounted to £135,642, Mr Jenkins said. Ten of them had been established by religious and welfare organisations at a cost of £326,879.