STATE HOUSES

Evening Star, Issue 26087, 29 April 1947, Page 8

STATE HOUSES

RECORD CONSTRUCTION LAST YEAR PROBLEM OF BUILDING SUPPLIES (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 28. “ I expect when I have the final figures to be able to announce that a record number of houses was built in New Zealand during the last financial year,” said the Minister of Works, Mr Semple, to-day. “ Notwithstanding that last year was our most difficult supply year, the preliminary figures show' that the record of 9,000 houses built in the first post-war year will be almost equalled in 1946-47. “ What has been done is a remarkable achievement in view of the difficulties over Building supplies, much of which must come from overseas sources, which are themselves in short supply,” Mr Semple^said. “ In the circumstances” it has been the best possible result from the resources we have had available, but it is only an instalment of the Government’s long-range plan for providing adequate housing for the nation. Wc are seeking ways to increase the output of houses. There is no lack of will or money for them. New’ Zealand, at the moment, is putting £7 out of every £lO spent on building construction into housing, and the remaining £3 is going into essential buildings, mainly industrial buildings, hospitals, and schools. •

“ The wdiole question of increasing the rate of rehousing our people comes back to materials, however,” Mr Semple said. “ When itiore materials are available—and the Government is making every effort to make them available—more houses will be built.”

Mr Semple said that approximately one-third of the record number of houses built last year were State houses. They were built, of course, mainly by private contractors, with some by rehabilitation trainees, t