Shortage of Houses

Hutt News, Volume XXII, Issue 2, 23 June 1948, Page 9

Shortage of Houses

POSITION STILL ACUTE

REQUEST TO MINISTER

The housing shortage is still acute, according to a report presented to the council of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce and Industry by Mr. C. E. Moran, of the rehabilitation committee. The committee had a list of 425 ■■ex-servicemen wanting houses.

From January to May, 1043, said Mr. Moran, 73 houses were allotted to ex-s rvicemen; same period, 1947, 32; 1948, 29. It would thus be seen that the position was getting worse.

In May loans granted by the rehabilitation \ committee totalled £5350 for houses and £IB4O for furniture, and in June £3OOO for houses and £IOOO for furniture. More private building than State houses was going on now. The Government had said some time ago that sections would be made available to ex-servicemen in the housing areas for the building of homes, but so far such sections had not been made available. The Rehabilitation Committee had received advice that business sites in .the Woburn area were available to ex-servicemen.

Shortage of Cement

Referring to the delay in the building of bouses Mr. Moran said that Die cement position in the North Island was very bad. There was said to be plenty of cement in the South Island, but it could not be got across to the North. He understood that the Housing Department was going in for comprehensive housing construction at Upper Hutt. Mr. N. Iv. Davidson: “Timber is becoming easier and cement very

scarce.” i Messrs. Davidson and E. A. Tomkies considered that if the proposed tunnel through the hills was completed sections for houses in the Wainui-o-Mata Valley would be brought into close proximity to Lower Hutt, and the position thus relieved. It was decided that, the secretary ask the Minister what are the' possibilities of completing Die Wainui-o-Mata tunnel.