LAND FOR HOMES

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 August 1946, Page 10

LAND FOR HOMES

NEW SCHEME FOR STATE HOUSING AREAS SECTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS [SPECIAL TO STAR.] .WELLINGTON, August 6. Private individuals, including exservicemen, will soon be able to acquire sections im large State housing areas on which to build their own homes under a scheme which is being considered by the Government. A statement of Government policy on this plan is expected within a few weeks. It has been known for some months that the Government has been considering such a scheme: Question in the House The subject came before the House of Representatives, when Mr M. H. Oram (Oppn., Manawatu) asked the Minister of Lands, Mr Skinner, whether he would see that- where comparatively large areas of land were acquired for Government housing schemes at least a small propor 7 tion was set aside as individual building sections for ex-servicemen who wanted to erect their own homes.

In a written reply the Minister said that a few housing sections already had been sold to ex-service-men to build their own homes. It was proposed to extend this practice, and where large areas were concerned blocks of sections would be set apart for sale to ex-servicemen and others. Details of the procedure had lately been arranged between the Department of Housing Construction and ether departments. Disposal would be under the Land Act, and the Lands Department would, conduct ballots for the sections if necessary.

It has been felt in the past few months that the- hesitation of the Government in announcing the plan was based on two points—whether the sections should be sold outright or made available on a leasehold basis, and whether they should be offered in blocks or as scattered sections between State houses. The latter points seem to have been cleared up by the Minister of Lands in his reply. Professional and Business Class The intention of the Government obviously is to encourage the professional and business class of the community to live in some of the larger State housing settlements. In a selfcontained community, with its planned population, doctors and dentists must be encouraged. It is presumed that sections in a State block to be offered to the public will be provided with all services, such as water supply, electric light, sewerage and access roads, which are made available for the entire area. No indication has been given of the prices to be asked for these sections.