BUILDING SOLDIERS' HOUSES.

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 152, 30 June 1922, Page 7

BUILDING SOLDIERS' HOUSES.

A statement of the position regarding advances to soldiers for the erection of dwellings was made by the Minister of Lands (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie] in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon.

Sir John Luke (Wellington North) asked when the Government proposed to resume tihe policy of making advances to returned soldiers to enable them to acr quire dwellings undei' the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act.

The Minister replied that ths Government had not turned down advances for ■the erection of houses, but for the purchase of dwellings, as the purchase of old dwellings was not improving the housing position. Advances for the erection of dwellings har1 never really stopped. The Government had borne in mmci that many soldiers had been in hospital or otherwise prevented from making earlier applicationl, and so far zt_ the

money had been available, it hud been approving applications from such men. It had been endeavouring to clear ih» books of old applications, am? had been fiving priority ta T.B. men, men in ospital, and nun who had already purchased sections with their own money. Sir John Luke: "Will you advance money to buildl to a man who baa purchased his section?" • The Minister: "Yes." Sir John Luke: "Forthwith?" The Minister: "If the applicant's us a special case. If not he will take his turn with those who are in a similar position." . ■ , '