Higher income limits sought

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32861, 9 March 1972, Page 16

Higher income limits sought

The Government will be requested by the Master Builders’ Federation to increase the present income limits for State housing applicants to a “realistic level consistent with increases to other arbitrary fixed limits.”

A remit to that effect was carried unanimously at the annual conference of the fed-

eration in Christchurch yesterday.

The Auckland delegation, in a note to the remit, said the present level was such that few, if any, wage earners would qualify for acceptance, and that this had reduced the volume of work in many areas available to smaller builders. The conference also resolved that the Government should be asked to extend the limit of State Advances Corporation mortgages from 30 to 50 years. However, it was decided that this request should not be made until the present income level had been raised. SMALLER REPAYMENTS Mr W. A. Subritzky said that extending the term for mortgages would lower the weekly repayment required. That would help young couples who wanted a State loan for building a home. It was the amount of the repayment (or rent) in the early stages that couples found difficult. One-third of all S.A.C. housing loans were paid back by 10 years. He said that the present income limit of $5O a week was less than the amount that a core tradesman earned. “Surely we should not be required to build boxes instead of decent homes because the politicians will not give a reasonable level of assistance. Ninety per cent of homes built with State loans—and we all know that a second mortgage is a necessity—should be decent houses, not boxes “Homes should be of 1100 and 1200 sq. ft. Better houses are required; something that will last for 80 years and still be a good investment for the country,” he said.