FURTHER HOUSES

Grey River Argus, 22 May 1947, Page 7

FURTHER HOUSES

N.Z. RECORDS WELLINGTON, May 21. The Commissioner of State Forests Mr Skinner said of the timber industry that the increase in production had exceeded even his highest expectations. An all-time record was set up in the year ended March 31. It totalled 367,000,000 board feet—--16,000,000 more than the year before and 14,000,000 more than the previous record year, 1926. He felt certain that it was the start of an upward trend which by the end of next year, would come close to the target figure of 415,000,000 feet year. Mr Skinner paid a tribute to all the staffs, timber workers and sawmill owners who had worked long hours to'offset the shortage of labour and equipment. The 76 new mills opened during the year had made a significant contribution to the total. During the year a total of 29 mills had closed through being burnt out, sawn, out or through other causes. New mills would be opening in the coming months, said Mr Skinner, and prospects of labour would be enhanced through the operation of the Sawmill Accommodation Improvement Scheme, which was now showing its value.

The increase in production was due largely to extended milling of exotic timber which was being used increasingly to relieve the drain on native woods. This was particularly noticeable in Canterbury and the Rotorua region, where timber production had shown the greatest improvement.

A record total of 9463 houses was built by the State and private individuals in the year ended March 31. Hon. R. Semple said that last year 74.3 per cent of the amount spent on construction activity went into houses. This proportion had not been approached in past years. “Housing remains the number' one priority in the Dominion,” he went on. “The Government is in constant consultation with departmental officers and private interests concerned so that the rate of building houses may be stepped up to a maximum. “We regard the achievement of records in the number of houses built in each of the two post-war years as an encouragement to further efforts. There are no annual statistics of building to approach those of the parst two years. The 9000 houses built in 1945-46 and the 9463 built in 1946-47 are undoubtedly records. The nearest approach to the figures was in 1938-39 when building permits issued for all districts covered amounted to 8093.

Mr Semple said that it was interesting to note that in the last 12 years 76,963 permits for the building of houses had been issued, whereas in the previous twelve years permits issued had numbered 54,793. The Dominion had maintained an average of 4763 permits during the war years. During the depression permits had averaged 2411 a year. During the year under review 2595 houses were built for the Housing Construction Department, and builders engaged on private contracts produced 6868 houses. Except those built by servicemen trainees under the Rehabilitation scheme, State houses were built by private contractors.

Since the inception of the State housing scheme in 1938, a total of 23,321 houses had been built, added Mr Semple.