STATE HOUSES

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 February 1937, Page 7

STATE HOUSES

REPLY TO MR SAVAGE. [PHB PEES 9 ASSOCIATION.] TIMARU, February 26. Interviewed to-night about the statement of the Prime Minister (Mr Savage), that the men who passed the resolution about the housing scheme were biased, Mr W. Petrie, president of the New Zealand Federated Builders’ and Contractors’ Association, said that when the housing scheme was being considered by the conference there was no question of bias in tha

minds of any of the members. They had endeavoured at all times to be helpful, in so far as they had been given any possible opportunity. They did claim, however, that the scheme had been somewhat rushed by the Government, and that further consideration should have been given from various angles. First, a full investigation should have been made of the schemes promoted in other parts of the world; second, the survey now being asked for by the Government should have been completed and considered' before the scheme was launched; third, the co-operation of all those directly connected with the

industry should have been sought; and fourth, tenders should have been called for in such a manner as not to eliminate any reputable builder. Mr Petrie said that his Federation was, and always had been, anxious to assist the Government with any scheme that would produce good houses for the people. They wished to assure the Prime Minister that they were serious in their contention that the method of tendering had caused a large increase in prices, and they repeated their offer to build for considerably less than the prices available under the system of tendering used in the recent contracts.