FACTORY HOUSES

Franklin Times, Volume 11, Issue 867, 21 November 1923, Page 3

FACTORY HOUSES

RAILWAY DEPARTMENTS SCHEME. GOOD OUTPUT SECURED. The practical working of the Railway Department’s new house factory at Frankton Junction has shown that it possesses a capacity to turn out more than the quantity of finished ficuse timber formerly estimated when plans were laid with the object of securing one finished house per day. The output of dressed timber has gone up on some occasions to 40,000 feet, which is equal to one and a half houses. The timber is cut to exact size, and has- only to be i.tted together on the house site. It is intended to provide the priming coat before the material leaves the iactory, and the undertaking is already so self-contained that it turns out the joinery, baths, sinks, and down pipes.

The staff of 50 is shortly to be increased to 60, and there are 40 employees in the adjoining sawmill. All the timber comes from the department’s milling areas at Mamaku, and PokakS and Erua, on the Main Trunk line. The first house turned out was erected near the factory, sq that the templates could be tested. These were found accurate, and the factory then commenced an order for 50 houses, to be erected at Frankton, where there is a great demand for accommodation of railwaymen. Its next order is 50 houses to be distributed at various points on the railways north of Auckland. Then some houses- will be built for stock, so that whenever a demand arises it can be met by immediately shipping the complete material for a house to any point in the North Island. The use of standard sizes, and timber cut to the exact length, has enabled the department to greatly economise in the labour cost of construction. Three men can complete a departmental house, ready for occupation), in a fortnight. A timber seasoning kiln, which will deal with 60,000 feet in one operation, is being installed.