RAILWAY HOUSES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 1, 1 July 1938, Page 10

RAILWAY HOUSES

320 TO BE BUILT

EASING GENERAL SHORTAGE

The Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) announces an extensive building programme in connection with Departmental houses in various parts of the Dominion.

"The Department has recognised for some time," the Minister states, "that more adequate housing facilities would have to be provided for railwaymen and their families. The programme makes provision for the erection of 320 houses, of which 16 are-? now in course of construction by the Department's staff."

The sixteen dwellings nearing completion are in the following areas:— South Island: Rolleston (2), Stirling (2), Clinton (2), Waipahi (2), and Ross and Herbert one each. North Island: Kaukapakapa, Kopaki," Puketutu, Owhanga, Linton, and Otokia one each.

"A contract has just been let at Greymouth for eight houses and tenders will shortly be called for the construction of 15 at Taumarunui and 3 at Okahukura," continued the Minister. "The 320 houses embraced by this programme will help to some extent in the localities concerned to alleviate the position created by the present house shortage. The allocations to the various railway districts have been made in the following order:—Auckland 86, Christchurch and Westland 74, Dunedin 44 k > Wanganui 42, Wellington 40, Invercargill 34.

"An urgency list has been drawn up, and the houses coming within that category will receive first consideration," concluded Mr. Sullivan, "but it is intended to go ahead with the full programme with as little delay as possible, in order to provide the additional housing accommodation which the expansion of railway business, with its resultant increase in staff, has made necessary."