HOUSING SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 254, 23 July 1936, Page 8

HOUSING SCHEME

Government’s Plans Almost Ready SPECIAL DEPARTMENT Director to be Appointed A director of housing and the establishment of a special department will be necessary under the Government’s projected plans for a nation-wide housing scheme. In making this statement yesterday in an interview, the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, said that the scheme was well advanced and only a few more details had to be completed before the full programme could be announced.

Although a relatively moderate start would be made with the scheme, ultimately thousands of homes would be built in districts throughout the Dominion where the need for houses was most urgent. The cottage standard rather than the construction of flats would be aimed at. “We intend to appoint a man whose sole job will be to supervise and generally direct the housing scheme,” Mr. Savage said. “It does not follow that he will have the title of director, but that virtually will be his position. There will have to be a separate housing department, but of course the whole scheme will come under the general control of the Minister of Finance.”

Mr. Savage indicated that so far no definite number of houses had been fixed for construction under the scheme, but it was intended to go forward as rapidly as possible. For a start progress would necessarily be slow. It was the intention of the Government that the cottage standard of home should be built under the scheme, in preference to flats, so that each family could have its own home and could enjoy privacy. Houses would be built both for renting and for purchase by owners, because it had been found in a survey of the position that there was a demand for both types. “So far the Government has not purchased any areas of land for housing,” Mr. Savage added, "but the State already owns areas in different parts of the Dominion, for example at Orakel (Auckland), Lower Hutt, Miramar and in the South Island, which would be suitable for use in the scheme. We have secured advice from all available sources about the plans we have in mind. The Institute of Architects, for instance, has offered its advice and assistance. A number of local bodies have expressed willingness to co-oper-ate with the Government in its plans for some sort of universal housing scheme, and we will arrange as far as possible for local bodies to do this.”