Returned Soldiers And State Housing Preference

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 February 1948, Page 5

Returned Soldiers And State Housing Preference

Dissatisfaction is reported to exist in the ranks of returned servicemen in the Grey district regarding the allocation of State rental houses in Greymouth and , it is claimed that recently the Minister's assurance that returned men would receive a preference of 50 per cent, of all State rental houses becoming available has not been honoured.

It is understood that staffing troubles encountered by the Railways Department have resulted in that department receiving a preference in regard to housing for a certain class of . its employees, with the result that the serviceman’s preference has been sacrificed, at least temporarily. It is also claimed that another Government department received preference for a house which should have gone to a returned serviceman. Railways Position

It is understood that figures have been placed before the Returned Servicemen’s Association showing that during the past two years the allocation of State houses in Greymouth to returned men has not represented the 50.,per cent, preference and that of 12 houses in Monroe street in the Cobden settlement four went to civilians, four to Railways Department employees, and four to returned men. In respect to another group of six houses, one in Geraldine street and five in Cobden, it is claimed that railway applications were given preference over those of returned men in all cases.

When the matter was referred to the district superintendent for the State Advances Corporation at Greymouth, Mr A. C. McLeod, today, lie stated that it was obvious that a misapprehension had arisen over the houses which had been occupied by Railways Department employees. “I think it has already been made clear in the press that those houses were actually built for the Railways Department by the Department of Housing Construction,” said Mr McLeod, “and the State Advances Corporation has no say in their’ letting, although they are managed by the corporation and the rentals are collected through the corporation office.” Mr McLeod added he believed that, apart from the Railways Department houses, all of the State houses in Greymouth were being allocated strictly in accordance with the principle of a 50 per cent, preference for returned men and that the Rehabilitation Department was active in seeing that the preference was not overlooked. It is understood that ofhcers of the Returned Services’ Association have already considered the explanation that certain houses are being “built for the Railways Department by the Housing Construction Department, but that they do not consider that this is fully in accordance with .the Minister’s assurance that 50 per cent, of State houses would be available to returned servicemen. There has also been considerable comment in Greymouth on the fact that a number of State houses in the new portion of Holland Settlement have remained almost completed bu untenanted- since before Christinas. To the casual observer, it appears that very little work is required to complete these homes and there has been criticism of the department in having new houses commenced before those almost fit for occupation are completed. Construction Delays When this matter was referred to the Housing Construction Department supervisor at Greymouth (Mr Tipping) today, he said that it correct that there had been a long delay in regard to the completion of six houses at Cobden and it was a result of the same trouble whic.i was being experienced in all parts ol New Zealand—material shortages. The chief difficulty in regard to tne Cobden houses, he added, had oeen in regard to wooden spouting and sink tops, but the department was making a special effort to remedy the situation and in some cases supphes were being brought from Chr stchurch. Two of the houses would be available for tenants this veek and the remaining lour inside a m In 1 the meantime, contracts have been let to rehabilitation trainees loi 14 additional houses in the new section of Holland Settlement, and some lof these houses have already bee> COITIDTCnCCCU _ _ —imwnM-T*