HOUSING SURVEY

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 March 1939, Page 12

HOUSING SURVEY

RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION. [FEB PBESB ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, March 8. Information was given to the Conference of the Municipal Association of New Zealand to-day by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Parry), that housing surveys bad been completed in 115 boroughs, comprising a total population of 901,353 persons, housed in 225,363 dwellings. Of those dwellings, 31,663, or approximately 14 per cent, of the total, were considered to be in ain unsatisfactory state, but to be capable of repairs: while 6,827, or approximately 3 per cent, of' the total were judged to be irreparable, and fit only for demolition.

A total of 9.835 houses, or approximately 4.5 per cent., Mr Parry said, were found to be overcrowded, according to accepted standards, the .surplus occupiers numbering 14,761. Those statistics, which covered only 60 per cent, of the total population, served to give some indication of the housing problem which faced the Dominion.

“The standard of housing of ou,r people must always be a question of vital importance to the municipal authorities,” Mr Parry said. “Although it is not two years since the actual construction work in connection with the Government’s housingscheme was begun, it is interesting to realise that, although we have been hampered by an extreme shortage of skilled labour, the Department of Housing Construction has, to date, actually commenced over 5000 houses, of which 2700 are completed and in occupation. Contracts have been let for a. further 1000 houses. The Government is extremely anxious to accelerate the pace of housing development, but the actual output of houses is, to a large extent, determined by j the capacity of the building industry, and this, in turn, is directly influenced I by the number of skilled tradesmen 1 available. ~ I

“If there is to be a quickening of 'the pace of housing construction,” Mr Parry added, “it is vitally necessary to increase the number of artisans available, and the Government, recognising this position, is arranging for the introduction of artisans from overseas. It is confidently expected that, at least so far as (he labour problem is concerned, (he position will in a very short time be considerably improved.”