STATE HOUSES

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1937, Page 5

STATE HOUSES

FOR DARGAVILLE Promise to Mr. Coates [Per Press Association], DARGAVILLE, August 10. A definite understanding that a scheme for Stale housing could be undertaken in Dargaville in the near future was given by the Under-Sccre-tary-in-Chargc of Housing, Mr J. A. Lee, when in Dargaville this afternoon. Land, lie said, had already been purchased by the Government for this purpose, and it was the Government’s intention to proceed with the calling of tenders at an early date. “When the housing scheme was first mooted in official circles, Rt Hon J. G. Coates mentioned Dargaville as a likely place- for putting a scheme into operation, and the Government gave him a definite understanding that Dargaville would be one of the first towns on the list, after the larger centres had been attended to,” continued Mr Lee. "Mr Coates’s silence in this matter has been due to the fact that he looked to the Government to fulfil its promise to him.” Mr A. Tyndall, Director of Housing who accompanied Mr Lee, stated that it was not his intention to erect a lesser number of houses than ten in any one place. Tenders for houses in Dargaville would, most likely, be called in a few weeks’ time, and the foundations for the structures should be laid within three months, if everything went to schedule. A deputation of builders waited on Mr Lee and Mr Tyndall to go into the position. Mr Lee urged the builders to co-operate with him when the time came for tendering for the work, and Mr Tyndall furthered these remarks by requesting combined assistance to alleviate the housing problem. Mr Coates, M.P. for Kaipara, assured Mr Lee that there would be no difficulty in obtaining tenants for the houses. After hearing the deputation of the unemployed regarding various matters which Mr Lee promised to refer to the Minister of Labour, the official party left for Auckland late this afternoon.