N.Z. Chance In Housing

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30079, 13 March 1963, Page 16

N.Z. Chance In Housing

(NZ. Pres* Association) WELLINGTON, March 12. The report that India needed 1,000,000 houses a year came as no surprise and merely emphasised the export opportunities awaiting New Zealand, said the former director of the New Zealand Timber Development Association (Mr A. F. Andrews) in Wellington today.

He was commenting on a report presented to the international housing conference under the auspices of the United Natiom in WeiUn Dn >n c. M. Pelvis (India) spoke to the conference of the pressing problems of urban resettlement tn India. He said in one portion of New Delhi there were 14X000 perrons a square mile, which waa the highest density to the world. Mr Andrews said big markets for low-coat timber dwellings existed both in developed Mid underdeveloped countries, although naturally house areas and designs would vary accordingly. South America and Central America, with their chronic shortage of dwelling* and seething unrest, plus the 20,000.000 dollar United States alliance for progress programme, seemed to provide the most immediately profitable market Building* could either be exported from New Zealand or manufactured overseas under Hcnos.

"Some 96 per cent of houses in the United States are of timber construction and, as here, costa are eon-

tinually rising because ot outmoded design,** be said. A construction of targe panels, with greatly reduced framework, was needed. Such a timber panel, 4ft in width, up to IOMt to length and from one to several inches thick, faced with alternative materials which •rewtly reduced expensive paint maintenance, waa produced and was to limited use in New Zealand as rooting; Basically, it was of gluelaminated Radiate pine. Some 98 per cent use of all timber even box grade—waa achieved, aa against the 30-40 per cent, wastage under present methode of producing weatherboard* and scantling, which the home buyer still paid for. "A house built of these in-

terlocking panels, incorporating in-buHt window and door frames, with top and bottom perimeter rings, fixed or movable internal partitions. and prefabricated on a modular co-ordination system, thus retaining flexibility of Assign in »pite of mass production, could be erected in a day or two on pre-buMt foundations, obviously at a greatlv reduced coot,” said Mr Andrews. “Designed to another country’s requirements, we could also use our present wasted or unusable timber in the form of dwellings for Mr\ndrews said that for a year be had been trying to persuade the Government, through the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) to set up a corporation to develop thia scheme for both domestic and export use. The Government already had wood teohnotogMs and technlctaas testing equipment, engineers and architects to do the designing and testing work, whilst the panel was already proven.

Two Government-employed architects and two engineers were reedy to give support on the technical aspects. One of these architects had planned very large wooden building* of these glue-lam-inated panels. Exports such as buildings had first to be proven by acceptance at home. Government sponsorship would quickly obtain recognition and acceptance of these dwellings by New Zealand lending institution*, architects. engineers and local bodies, a process which normally took years and killed prospects of exports in the near ftrture. As well, gov-•rnment-to-govemmeot negotiations would be needed. New Zealand had *n acute and recurrent balance of payments problem, and yet the Government, through Mr Marshall, bad eventually refused to back the scheme. It had not even consulted these four profestional men first before rejecting ft, although two South American national representatives bad exprsassd interest to Mr Andrews. The Government rightly ’ had put up £175,000 for a mere investigation at an iron ' and steel industry. This , sum of money oould have set up a building development corporation (£14.000.000 capital was not needed, as for * steel), the nucleus of a great! Primary exporting industry, > and building costs in New * Zealand would have dipped • down. *

"Prospective home owners; and owners of tans of thou- > sands of 70-year-oid ob*o-; lasoeot houses, and other tax- * payers, will no doubt ponder • over rising building costs tn! election ysur," said Mr Andrews. ' The whole scheme was! now being turned over to the < Opposition, who were always * interested in houses and building.