STATE HOUSING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 21, 25 January 1940, Page 12

STATE HOUSING

PROGRESS REPORT

HUGE EXPENDITURE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH; This "Day.

The housing problem in Christchurch and adjoining boroughs will be in hand^ by the end of the year, said the Minister of Housing (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) this morning. Throughout the South Island the same conditions applied, but in the North Island the problem was still difficult. In Wellington and Auckland and in Palmerston North, Hamilton, and Whangarei, which were growing steadily, he said the demand was hard to meet. For the Dominion the total number of tenders let ( was 10,230, and up to January 8281 houses . had been begun. Of that number 5745 were occupied and the remaining 2536 were, on the average, half completed. On the whole, therefore, ,an equivalent of about 7000 homes had been completed.

The effect of the emergency building for the Defence Department was.still being felt. Construction was going on iii 116 towns, and tenders had been called for land in 122 centres.

The expenditure tp date was almost £9,750.000. including land purchased ahead of requirements. Roading and reticulation for water, electricity, and sewage were also -included in the figure. The commitments were about £12,500,000, including land purchased in advance and' contracts let.