BUILDING IN THE GUY

Evening Star, Issue 21994, 2 April 1935, Page 2

BUILDING IN THE GUY

MANY APPLICATIONS FDR SUBSIDY IMPROVEMENT IN TRADE BEING MAINTAINED The stimulating effect which the Unemployment Board’s building subsidy has had on the trade is shown by the latest returns of applications for the subsidy from Dunedin builders. Up to yesterday the number of applications received since the beginning of the scheme in July totalled 284, of which 212 have been approved, providing work to the value of £166,351. This total of £166,351 does not represent the value of all buildings undertaken in the city during that period. But at the same time it is not far short of the entire value of buildings for which the City Council issued permits in the last financial year eided March 31, 1934, so that the general increase must be considerable. The figure is also only short of the iota! value of permits which were issued by the council from the beginning of the financial year just ended. The building subsidy scheme hos been in operation for seven nonshs, but only a very small number of applications for assistance have boon declined. The majority of the applications have been for home-building, and they have averaged in value approximately £SOO. The subsidy has been issued for the construction <>f a few blocks of city flats, -hut nomes have absorbed a very big percentage of the amount. There is provision under the scheme for local bodies to submit to the board applications for t! e subsidy on housing schemes, but so far no application Tins been received by the Dunedin office. IMPROVING FIGURES. The value of permits issued by the council for the financial year just ended easily eclipses the figure for any year since 1932, when the value dropped to an unusually low level. Last year the council issued 563 permits, valued at £258,064, while last year the value of the permits was £191,597. In 1932 the value was £137,066.

The following table shows the number and value of permits for each month over the last two years:—

PERMITS IN MARCH. Builders who secured work to the value of £SOO and over during March were as follow: —W. Thomson, composite dwelling, Kenmure road; D. O’Connell, brick dwelling. Isidore street (St. Clair Park) ; Wood and M'Cormack, alterations brick building, Princes street ; Crow and Beattie, composite dwelling, Lawrence street; A. L. M. Smith, composite dwelling, Wright street; G. Simpson and C 0.,, composite dwelling, Grendon street; L. Woods, brick flats, Pitt street; J. A. Thomson, wooden dwelling, Dotting street ; D. Budge, composite dwelling, Bridger street; G. Simpson and Co., alterations and additions to Arthur Barnett Ltd., George street; A. King, composite dwelling, Passmore crescent.

1933.' 1934. April £3,519 (24) £13,655 (31) May 5,485 (35) 13,407 (35) June 3,610 (32) 17,236 (45) July 13,736 (50) 19,094 (42) August 23,049 (52) 16,423 (48) September 34,490 (53) 27,029 (46) October 34,565 (57) 45,596 (78) November 25,742 (48) 28,806 (60) December 18,507 (40) 18,828 (45) January 14,865 (42) 19,969 (45) February 11,703 (31) 20,369 (50) March 12,326 (36) 17,652 (38) £191,597 (500) £258,064 (563)