HOUSING CONSTRUCTION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 182, 2 July 1938, Page 10

HOUSING CONSTRUCTION.

GOVERNMENT'S PLANS. EXTENSION OF OPERATIONS. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 2. “Now that the Department of Housing Construction is in full swing, producing the type of dwelling suitable for a person with an average income and an average sized family, attention is being given to special housing for other sections of the community,” said the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) this morning. “The provision of bachelor flats for single people working in the cities is being considered, and plans for the first block to be erected in Wellington are being prepared. The first trial block of four flats suitable for pensioners and aged couples is almost completed in Auckland. For families of unusual size designs of larger houses are under way, a special house of this nature having been erected for the quadruplet family in Dunedin. “Finally, there is the problem of the cheaper type of house for the lowest income group to be reneted at a figure lower than the average rents now being charged. Two trial hocses of this nature are nearing completion in Wellington. Later will come the clearance of sums and their replacement by multiple-unit dwellings. This problem needs special legislation, and the problem cannot be attacked until the acuteness of the present housing shortage has been reduced.” Mr Savage said the completion of houses was now comink to hand at the rate of 60 per week. The department’s operations were so extensivp that there were serious difficulties in obtaining sufficient skilled labour and materials. It appeared doubttul whether the present resources of the Dominion could produce 100 houses a week for the department, additional to norma] requirements of private enterprise and other State departments. He stated that 172 general controctors were working for the department, and 4800 persons were directly employed.