HOUSING PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 93, 22 April 1925, Page 12

HOUSING PROBLEM

COUNCIL SHOULD RESUME

BUILDING

COUNCILLOR CHAPMAN'S VIEWS,

Speaking at Wadestown last evening, Councillor C. H. Chapman (candidate for the Mayoralty) said it was interesting to note what was being done in Britain to overcome the housing shortage. There both contract labour and direct labour had been utilised. Generally speaking, the houses erected by municipalities themselves cost less than those erected by contract. He supplied the following details :— Swansea, South Wales, built 260 houses by direct labour at £22,024 below the contract price. Non-parlour houses were built by direct In-bour at a cost of £400. The Swansea Coi-pora.-tion were paying a contractor £561' per house to the same specification in the same street.

The Office of Works (corresponding to the New Zealand Public Works Department), acting on behalf of local authorities, which could not obtain satisfactory tenders, had built 4994 houses by direct labour. The houses were built in different parts of the country—in London, Birmingham, Durham, Hull, Kent, and Wells. '

In every casQ, said Councillor Chapman, the price per house • was less as compared with similar schemes carried out in the same area and during approximately the same period. The savings varied from £34 per house to £306 per house. Other comparisons made were: — Irlam : Houses built by, direct labour for £740 similar to those costing £1000 built by contract. Tollbridge: Direct labour, £876; contract, £1070. Second typeDirect labour, £691 to £784; contract, £976. Bradford : Direct labour, £959 ; contract, £1004. Newmarket: Direct labour, £671; contract, £1040. =Newbnry: Direct labour, £600; contract, £875.

The Glasgow Corporation built 318 houses by direct labour at Drumoyne. Official figures showed a net saving of £37,000, or nearly £117 per house, as compared with the lowest price put in by contractors. .

Mr. Chapman said that in his.opinion the council should again resume building operations. The council had plenty of land, most of which was bought in Sir John Luke's time. From the Mayoral chair, with the support of the incoming council, he hoped to see something done in this matter. Two hundred and thirty acres were immediately available. Large sums of money for this purpose could be obtained from the Government " at 4^per cent., and the circumstances demanded prompt action.