MUNICIPAL HOMES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 230, 23 June 1920, Page 6

MUNICIPAL HOMES

TWO TO BE BALLOTED.

Several of the 'houses built by the City Council at Northland are approaching completion, and two have actually been completed. A proposal that these: houses should bo sold by auction has been beforo the City Council 1 ., but has not been approved, and the present, intention of the council' is- to dispose of tho houses by l>allot in accordance with tho original scheme. The Mayor (Mr. J. 1. Luke, M.P.) stated yesterday that the first two houses would be submitted to ballot forthwith. . . ~ , ~ , ~ The original scheme provided that the •houses erected by the City Council should be sold to approved applicants by ballot, on a minimum deposit of .£25, with repayments spread over a period of twentylive yeai'6. A' purchaser is not to be entitled to sell his interest in the property for a period of five years without the consent of the council, unless he has first paid to the council all the purcnose money. Sub-letting is to be prohibited, except by consent of tho council The price' of the houses is to be the cost of each property, plus overhead charges up to a maximum of 121 cent. The purchaser wilt pay iates and maintenance charges in addition to instalments of principal and interest. Ihe cost of a completed five-roomed house, with the section, is understood to urn the neighbourhood of JillOO, so that the annual charges are going to be fairly heavy. The conditions of tlio ballot have not yet been announced. • The original scheme of the council was to build eighteon houses at Maranui and sixty houses at Northland. Various ■ difficulties, including shortages of labour and material, have delayed the work, and the number of houses actually under construction at present is nine, alii at liorthItuid. Ground is available for the full number of housed when their erection can be arranged.