STATE HOUSES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 114, 9 February 1944, Page 6

STATE HOUSES

Large Demand For More In Wellington 8861 APPLICANTS ON WAITING LIST

The acuteness of the housing situation in Wellington and the. demand for State 'dwellings is shown by official figures made available last evening by tiie Minister of Works, Mr. Semple. He said that there were 8861 Wellington applicants on the waiting list for the»e houses. Contracts had been let tor an additional SOO houses in the M ellington area. 1 : , “Some misapprehension seems to exist regarding the request for more labour to build houses in the (Wellington district, said the Minister when questioned on tne subject. “In the first place, 1 would like to emphasize that the request is not for 350 carpenters. It is desired that the. increased labour force shall be a properly balanced one combining tne allied skilled tradesmen, such as plumbers, electricians, bricklayers,, lilasterers, drain-layers, and some skilled builders labour. , ' . , • „ “Moreover, the appeal has not been confined to any particular district or districts: It was addressed through the New Zealand Builders’ Federation to the builders generally throughout the nonunion, and if the number of men required is forthcoming on a pro rata basis there will be no hardship imposed, on any one town or locality. It is certainly not the intention to denude any one 'area of building labour. Situation in Wellington. -

“The mayor of Christchurch,” said Mr. Semple, “has suggested that .the South Island has suffered in comparison with the North Island in the matter ot the number of houses erected, and has made his comparison on a population basis. Surely consideration had .to be given to the urgency of the situation in the respective districts., Official figures showed that up to December 31 last loot) houses had been built and handed over to tenants in Christchurch, leaving 218 J approved applicants waiting for homes, and contracts had been arranged or were in hand for an additional 20a units in that city. In Wellington to the same date, while 2819 houses had been built and handed over, no. fewer than 88M applicants were waiting for accommodation. Contracts had been let for an additional 800 houses in the M ellmgton area. It will be seen from these figures that the number of applicants waitin» for houses in Wellington was four times the number waiting in Christchurch. Mr. Semple added that the proposal to transfer labour to Wellington was purely a matter of expediency. It was only for a limited term and this course was necessary to overcome the very acute housing and building problem generally in Wellington. “ft is understandable, said Ihe Minister, “that the mayor of. Christchurch should advocate the claims ot Christchurch for increased houses, but as Minister of Works I must view the matter from a national standpoint and ensure that the limited, supplies of labour and materials are utilized where the need is greatest at the-moment” Mr. Semple concluded by stating that there had already been a satisfactory response to the request for additional labour in Wellington, and that there was. every possibility that there would be no necessity tsf direct any man to Wellington to meet the present demand.

TRANSFER OF MEN Encouraging Response The encouraging response to the request to transfer men to Wellington for housing construction work was , referred to yesterday by the Commissioner - of Works. Mr. James Fletcher. He said that more houses were required in M ellington, and at present there were not sufficient tradesmen here to do the work. In those circumstances an approach had been made to builders in other districts through the New, Zealand Builders’ Federation for them to supply the men required. , • , The object hud been to ascertain to what extent the builders in the other districts would be able to co-operate without dislocating, their organizations, in the towns in which they were working. It was hoped by that means to avoid any compulsory movement of men, and 'though all the men required were not yet available, the response to hand was excellent, and the indications at present were that no compulsory, steps would have to be taken. ’ . - The’ men who came to M ellmgton would be accommodated in camps established under the defence, construction programme. Mr. Fletcher added.. The objective was to obtain the services ot complete building units which would be given contracts according - to their capacity to handle them, even down to one house, which would take care of the small builder. It was stated in reply to other inquiries, that the State house building programme in Wellington in the main is in the "Waddington, CLaita and nai areas.

PROTEST BY MEMBERS

Deputation To Minister

The intention to arrange for the transfer of building workers from the feouth Island and other parts of New Zealand to the Wellington area is to be the subjeet' of a deputation of protest to the ’.Minister of Works, Mr. Semple, by the Canterbury Labour members, comprising Captain McCombs (Lyttelton), Mr. Macfarlane (Christchurch South), Mr. Clyde Carr (Timaru), and Mr. Morgan Williams (Kaiapoi). It is hoped to arrange an interview today, and the Christ* church Rehabilitation Committee may also be represented. The deputation will endeavour to convince the Minister that the housing situation ju the south is as urgent as in Wellington, where, it is contended, a high proportion of applicants on the urgent list are seeking relief from high rents, though thev have at least adequate accommodation, though in Christchurch, on "the contrary, all those on the urgent list ■are in genuine need of accommodation, and not of lower rent, because many of the older houses are privately rented in Chrijtchurch at lower rates than those charged for State dwellings.

TARANAKI PROTEST

Determined Opposition Predicted

(By Telegraph. —Press Association.) . NEW PLYMOUTH, February 8. Because the house shortage is considered as acute in Taranaki as in any of the four main centres the Taranaki branch of the Carpenters’ and Joiners Union will oppose any suggestion that workers should be transferred elsewhere. Expressing this view emphatically the secretary of the union, Mr. A. Rogers, said tonight that calls made tor labour to assist in the construction ot works required by the defence services had been met willingly, but any attempt to transfer workers foj the building of houses would meet with determined opposition. The policy of centralization was being carried too far and tne criticism made at Christchurch applied with equal force to Taranaki.

SOUTHERN FACTORIES

Housing Essential To Development

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, February 8. "The Government’s proposal to erect 1500 State houses in the Wellington area is a classic example of failure to recognize an obligation to the South Island and particularly to Christchurch, where ■the housing shortage already is very 'acute,’’ said Mr. D. V. Wilson, president of the Canterbury Manufacturers Association, today. "After all, adequate and proper housing for workers is one of the first essentials of successful industrial development. and it would appear that the Government fails to recognize this ns far as Christchurch is concerned. Mr. Wilson added that transference of workers in the building industry to the North Island must obviously retard the erection of workers’ homes in Christchurch, and

their families joining them. It would be interesting to learn the numbers ot workers in the building industry already, transferred to the North Island since the outbreak of the war and who had remained there permanently. "Instead of encouraging decentralization of industry, which quite rightly has been advocated by certain Ministers, the Government seems to be doing its. best to concentrate industry still further in an already congested industrial area,” said Mr. Wilson. "The consequences resulting' from the transference of 350 workers are too serious to be ignored by the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, which will take an early opportunity of digf*Bm g the, matter.”.