BRITAIN SOLVING THE HOUSING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 74, 21 December 1937, Page 12

BRITAIN SOLVING THE HOUSING PROBLEM

“Tremendous Activity”

IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING SOCIETIES

There was tremendous activity in the building of new dwellings in Britain, particularly in the London suburbs, said Mr. M. Fraser, who returned to Wellington by the cruise liner Strathaird yesterday after a six months’ tour abroad. Areas that a year ago had been broad acres devoted to farming were to-day covered with houses, he continued. This was also the case in Glasgow, and, indeed, throughout the Kingdom. The development was being carried out mainly through the co-operation of building societies, builders, and insurance companies. The growth of the building society movement, was amazing; for instance, the Halifax and Abbey Road societies each had funds exceeding £50,000,000. The societies enjoyed a specially low rate of income tax. Mr. Fraser made a point of inspecting the dwellings, which were of a very fine type and often most attractive. The local authorities made strict limitations on the number of houses to be erected to the acre, and in most settlements there were spacious play areas. In many cases the houses were placed to suit irregularly-shaped sections, instead of in stiff, rectangular lines. The builder was usually the developer of th* estate; he roaded it, drained it, erected the houses, and then sold them at a fixed price. In one estate there were 29 different designs of house to choose from. In an Oxford Street building one could inspect three fullsize model houses. The price was fixed and included all costs.

In the less attractive styles there were rows of attached dwellings. One lot, built for miners, were attractive and comfortable inside, although they had not many conveniences in the way of cupboards and fittings. The net result, however, was a very cheap house. In one area a five-roomed house, livingroom, kitchen and washhouse downstairs and three bedrooms upstairs, was being sold for £330 leasehold or £350 freehold. The, miners were not asking for better accommodation; they were concerned principally with the amount of the weekly payments. In London, where the new dwellings included bathrooms and kitchens with the latest and best fittings, prices ranged from £5OO to £lOOO, mostly about £6OO to £BOO. They, were bought chiefly from the builders through building societies on a 20-year term, the deposits required being 5 per cent, on houses under £500; 74 per cent., £5OO to £750; 10 per cent., over £750. “I am convinced that the system adopted in Britain, involving close cooperation between the builder and the building societies, gives the best result to the consumer and might, with advantage, be copied in New Zealand.” Mr. Fraser concluded.