STATE HOUSING

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 264, 4 August 1944, Page 6

STATE HOUSING

Total Of £23,900,000 Already Spent 40,000 SECTIONS BOUGHT i A problem of increasing magnitude in New Zealand is t|iat of housing, said Me. Nash, in mentioning in the Budget that quicker methods of housing construction were being investigated and put into practice. Shortly after coming into ollice the Government undertook to spare no effort in remedying the unsatisfactory state of affairs which then existed, said the Minister. The lending arrangements of the ,State Advances Corporation were made more generous for those' who wished to build their own homes, while at, the same time the Government undertook a comprehensive scheme of State housing. The outbreak of war necessarily seriously interfered with this programme; in fact, the withdrawal of men and material for war purposes, including the erection of camps, aerodromes. an<] defence works generally, resulted in the practical cessation of housing for a period. The position has been aggravated by the direction of manpower to the cities for war production work, and more recently by the repatriation of members of the Armed Forces from overseas. Every step is being and will be taken to provide homes for the men who have fought for our preservation and safety. The Government appreciate that, in view of the magnitude which the problem of housing has now attained, the ordinary methods of building are. too slow, added to which is the fact that timber supplies are limited. Consequently, quicker alternative methods of building have been investigated, and these have taken tlie lines generally of (a) prefabricated wooden units, (b) prefabricated concrete units, and (c) concrete on site and block units. In considering prefabrication, the Government are keeping in mind the aesthetic aspect- and are ensuring that homes and flats are not only well-appointed inside, but are well built and attractive from a community point of view.

In order that the housing prograinme can be rapidly accelerated as soon as the war situation permits, an active policy of purchasing suitable lands has been followed, with the result that last year no less than 4300 building sites were purchased, bringing the purchases to date to over 40.000 sections. The total expenditure to March 31 on State rental houses exceeded £23,900,000, while provision is being made in the current year’s Estimates for a further expenditure of £3,500,000.

PAY-AS-YOU-EARN

Report To Be Made In Parliament

Reference to the pay-as-you-earn system of taxation was made by Mr. Nash in bis Budget speech. The Government, realizing the convenience of such a system from the taxpayer’s point of view and the protection of the revenue from the boiut of view of the State, has - given careful consideration to the various proposals, he said. There are, however, certain disadvantages in the introduction of such a system into New Zealand, but a report will be made to Parliament during the present session with a view to an improvement in the present procedure.

THE BATTLE AGAINST INFLATION

No Room For Complacency

. Stabilization has protected the people of New Zealand, and its continued success will place this Dominion in a favourable position to meet the problems of post-war readjustment, said Mr. Nash in his Budget speech. Yet there is no cause for complacency, or for any section of tile community to believe that inflation is no longer a danger. The conditions fostering inflation exist as actively as ever, and their pressure, rather than diminishing, is increasing. Hand in hand with stabilization in the battle against, inflation must be the expansion to maximum capacity of all forms of production in New Zealand. Stabilization and production are our joint weapons against inflation. The continued effectiveness of this policy depends on the active and unselfish support of all the people. The Government recognizes the difficulties which are now being experienced by the people in connexion with supplies particularly of clothing and footwear—a condition exclusively due to the demands of the war. Attention has been given to this problem and measures have been decided upon which should result in an early and substantial improvement.

WAR & EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE

Tlie Government’s intention to introduce a Bill-this session to consolidate the existing enactments in connexion with war and earthquake damage insurance was mentioned by Mr. Nash in his Budget speech.