BUILDING FIGURES

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 109, 10 May 1934, Page 6

BUILDING FIGURES

THE" HUTT VALLEY'

PAST FOUR YEARS. %

,BIG' FALLING-pFF

. Although its population has gieatly in- " creased. in recent' years, tne ;Uiitt Valley is still capable of gi eater development, but during the depletion there has not been a. great deal of building actiMty iv the Valley. The building ugureb o£ the Pctone Borough. Lover Hutt Borough, Upper Butt Borough, aud Eastbourne Borough have been obtained for the four years horn March 31, 1931, until March 31, 1934, and they show a con«idcuble dovtunaid trend. The year 1930-31 is taken as a starting point, for at that • time the effects of the •world 'depression had not begun, to niani- I febt themselves to a veij gieat extent in New Zealand Hie figure* for the Hutt County Council i\ere not obtained, foi theie is much lind m its area that is not in the Hutt Vallej. 'I lie hguies for Eastbourne aio included, because Eastbourne is primarily ,i lCMdential aica, and as such i a study of its building actnity is of in-, tercst. The foljov ing tables gi\ c the figures for the four }eais pf the value of building permits issued-— i

EFFECT OF SUBSIDY; ,- From the above it i\ ill be seen thatf with, the exception ot Eastbourne, there was a steadj fall fiora 1031 until 1933, but in 1033 31 the iiguics>iiicicased to beyond the previoub veu'a tutil, but e\cn tins was far remd^cd tiom tno Uoual \alue <jf a j car's building in kooil times In tlie case of Eastbourne there was a higher total for 3032 33 than ior 1033 34. The mtiease m building actiwty last jear in tho other boroughs (and this applies to Eastbourne when 1931-32 and 1033 34 aro comr. red) was caii-ed by the building subsidy liocouung available. Buildings aip still being elected under the subsidy, 'although iiirther applications foi i subsidy (.anuot now be cl anted. j

Tiom inqmucs it was learned th it the luilding industiy in the Hult Valley is still in the doldrums, and wiirnot show '.my marked upnar^ tendency unless the bmldms subsidy is rev nod Theicfore tho trade re\i\al at present getting under way will have to receive a still greatei impetus before the Hutt Valley and Eastbourne, builders aie leally happy again. As in most localities, a feature of the I depression uj the Hutt .Valley has been i that, whereas m» normal times a family tries to obtain a house for its -sole use, I now two and. three families share a dwelling for the B<rke of economy.- When money lipgins to circulate more -freely these' families will seek houses of their own, find I in many ca&» this will meap work for the builder. *

There ig still plenty of room for espan-

siou aiound Lower Ilult. In noimal times much bmldms went on in the boiough, and in time it will be resumed. Upper Hutt, too, is still capable of. great development, but a quicker train service is needed 'to '-reduce the time of "travelling to and fiom the city, Eastbourne, since water has been laid on and sewerage is under way,' is bound to go,ahead 'when times become noimal. Petone-is thickly populated, but will probably expand at ICorolcoro.

I'KTOXE. Value '' o£ permits. Year. £• ' - 1930-31 ; .' 47,S2.i - ■1931-32 ' .■ 34,220-' 1932-33 " 3,553: 1033-34 , 14,1S9~ '• * LOUVER HUTT. ' ' ' '. :. t '.Value ,' • r ' of permits. * Year. , , ' £ . ". 1550-31 288,071 1831-32 ■. 60,939' 1532-33 .; 44,0i3 11933-34 .....,.%.... -,55.SM ->■ ''■"' ' .Ui'PER HUT^. ' , " '-], v .• Value ' ' ' \ . pf permits. 1930-31 ..,..,.'.-. ..".';...' 43,W5> 19-S1-32' :.:, 0,30i 1932-3'i" ,'. . .. .: ;5,955 I033~-3i \..\ :, 0,881,; ' " '■■ -•"•-'* 1 " Value.oi permits." lear. '- • £ 1030-31 , » ,.; 13,451 1931-32 ...;: ?..,, 4,597:' 1932-33 ..-. ; 'iojO3f 1933-34 .....; ,-'.. ,'^5,804 ' -/-!