HOUSING PLAN

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 112, 24 April 1936, Page 7

HOUSING PLAN

Every Man to Have Home He Can Call His Own PREMIER’S STATEMENT (By Telegraph—Special to “Tribune.") WELLINGTON, April 23. In announcing to-day that a Bill would be introduced during the present session to give effect to the Government's policy, Mr Savage said that Labour wanted everybody in the community to have a real home. Mr Savage was asked if the Government intended to follow the example of other countries and go in for a system of communal flats. He replied that although communal flats might come into the scheme, the object of the Government was to provide every man with a home. It was not desired that people should be heided together and asked to bring up children under those conditions.

“What the Labour I’artJ wants to see,” said Mr Savage, “is a satisfied people living under the best of conditions. That will involve giving every man a real home which he can cull his own. We want the people to bo able lo have not only a house, but a piece of land as well.” The Prime Minister said that his Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Mr Lee, was at present engaged in cooperation with a committee in drawing up a plan. The matter had not yet come before Cabinet, but it would do so before long, and appropriate legislation would be introduced during the present session.

“Housing Is all part of our general scheme,” said Mr Savage, ‘‘and it will be tackled as soon as possible.”

Wrapped up in the question of housing, said the Prime Minister, was tho question of rents, and that matter was receiving the consideration of the Government. It was likely that the matter would have to be dealt with in legislation. The present rent restriction legislation went a certain distance, but it did not go far enough. There were too many loopholes, and it was the intention of the Government lo close up those loopholes. It would probably bo necessary to bring down a Fair Rents Bill to deal with the position. “There is one thing that is certain,’’ said Mr Savage, “the speculator is not going to be allowed to make a Roman holiday out of the Government’s housing programme. The speculator might put ono across us once, and we will put two across him in return.”