GIGANTIC BUILDING PROGRAMME

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 309, 24 September 1943, Page 9

GIGANTIC BUILDING PROGRAMME

Mr. Jacobsen’s Outline

The National'Party's plans for *wlmt he described as “a gigantic building programme” were outlined by Mr. L. .1, Jacobsen. National candidate for IV eilingtou East, addressing a meeting of electors in the Capitol Theatre. Miramar, last night. There was a fairly large attendance,- with a few hostile interjections, but many more sympathetic. A resolution expressing thanks and pledging support was adopted with enthusiastic applause. The first difficulty in the provision of housing—shortage of manpower—would be overcome -by training buildiug workers under the rehabilitation scheme, said Mr. Jacobsen. If it was possible in wartime to train men to become engineers in six months, it would be possible to train men to build houses in six months. For every carpenter employed in house-building, work would be found for two other men, such as plumbers, bricklayers, forestry workers and furniture makers. Altogether work would be created for 25,000 extra men under the National Party's scheme. New housing centres would- be built on the- outskirts of towns, where it would (be possible to have gardens. Private house-ibuilding would also be restored. In the five years before 1930 30,000 houses had been built by private enterprise, which, if left alone, would have continued to rise to the occasion as the demand increased. All who wanted it could obtain the freehold of their property. The possibilities of this had been demonstrated at Karori seven years ago when a block of 20 houses had been built by private enterprise. Purchasers paid deposits as low as £lO with a maximum of £75 and weekly payments of 30/- met all outgoings, including interest, rcductioTi of principal, rates and insurance. “And in 28 years—not 60 years—the house will become the property of the purchaser—free and unencumbered by any vestige of mortgage,” said Mr. Jacobsen. The Labour Government, even after, the tenant of a State bouse had paid in rent the total cost of both it and the land, wanted to retain the freehold, in fact the stranglehold. The National Party would give the freehold without the tenant having to pay any more in weekly payments. “Never mind that tomfoolery about the cost being double,” said Mr. Jacobsen. There would be an extra 1/- or 2/- a Week at the outside as premium for insurance on the life of the purchaser, so that if he died money would be available to pay off any balance owing and his wife would receive the property unencumbered. If a man bought a'State house when he was 30 years old, by the time he was 60, or at most 65, he would have an unencumbered title —and no more payments to make. , If any tenants of State houses wished to continue paying rent and not take the freehold they would be perfectly free to do so, and in no case would their tenure be interfered with, even if other persons wanted the property on a freehold basis. A transfer scheme would be instituted by which persons who were buying a State house could have the payments they had already made transferred to another larger house or to a house in anbther town. To civilians the Government would be prepared to advance 90 per cent., and, in special circumstances. 100 per cent., of the cost of building a house, arid to returned soldiers it would advance 100 per cent, of the cost of house and land. If men returning from overseas wished to use their war gratuity as a deposit, the State would subsidize it-, to encourage them to get a stake in the country.