'Govt might not find houses to import'

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33480, 11 March 1974, Page 12

'Govt might not find houses to import '

(N.Z. Press Association)

TAURANGA

It was doubtful whether houses would be available from overseas if the Government did try to import them, said Mr J. D. Heise, joint managing-director of Beazley Homes, Ltd.

Mr Heise, whose firm is one of the largest-volume home builders in New Zealand, and has exported many houses to Australia and the Pacific Islands, was commenting on the statement by the

[Minister of Housing (Mr Fraser) that the Government might import up to 2000 cheap houses. “There is an unprecedented demand for housing throughout the world,’’ Mr Heise said.

“There is a world shortage of timber and building materials. This is aggravated by the fuel shortage which has forced factories to limit their number of working days.” Mr Heise noted that the timber shortage also affected by-products, such as supplies of the cardboard used to sheath a universally used wallboard.

There was a very high de-

mand for housing in New Zealand, but the industry could handle it, provided tjie labour and materials resources were channelled in the right direction. ROTATION SCHEME The managing-director of Keith Hay Homes, Ltd (Mr K. W. Hay) today urged the Government to make cash available to local authorities for building schemes. As well, he proposed that the Government open negotiations at Ministerial level with big building organisations that had the equipment and knowledge of mass-pro-ducing homes on rotation and drop the standard tendering scheme.

This would create badly needed continuity in the industry.

“A builder could be given 10 houses to build over say a period of 10 years—or .20, 30, or even 100 houses, depending on his capacity. “The builder then could gear himself for this effort, order equipment, engage labour, and start working.

“At present the builder gets an order for a few houses, builds them and then stops. Under the present stop-go policy he must either lay off his men or find alternative work,” said Mr Hay.

He called for new thinking on housing in New Zealand based on the pre-fabrica-tion of components-Hust like car production. RISING COSTS Mr Hay said that the cost of housing would double in the next few years.

Someone would have to pay for the superannuation scheme, extra holidays, equal pay, and the rising amount of imported goods used in houses.

Already it was impossible to quote costs accurately. They changed almost from hour to hour, and would never stabilise or drop.