BUILDING PROGRESS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 21, 23 December 1938, Page 6

BUILDING PROGRESS

THE YEAR’S ACTIVITIES.

A LARGE EXPENDITURE. Representing an aggregate value of £221 842, the highest total for many years, 322 building permits were issued by the Palmerston North City Council during the year ended to-day, despite the fact that a shortage ot skilled artisans has retarded the commencement of several projected works. Compared with £215,315 for 1937, the value c f the permits shows an increase of £65:7. No State dwellings are included in these returns, as the figures are not available for publication, but contracts are reported to have been let for 168 houses to date, quite a . number of which are occupied, while many are under construction or nearing completion. This is an important matter, as with the inclusion of these dwellings the value of the permits would have reached a very high figure. However, a pleasing feature is the increase in the number of permits issued for the erection of private dwellings, these being 92, valued at £102,458, compared with 63, representing £60," 891 in 1937, and 76 accounting for £61,824 in 1936. ■ Included in the dwellings are fojir blocks of flats, comprising twelve uniis valued at £10,480. During the year a considerable number of dwellings have been converted into tenements. There is a keen demand for the tenement type of dwelling, due mainly to the acute shortage of houses, coupled with a desire for a greater return on outlay. Many new dwellings are projected for tlie New Year and, . with the. efforts of the State Housing. Department, much should be done during the coming year to overtake some of the leeway in the shortage of housing. Owing to no outstanding buildings being under way, such as those which were commenced in Broadway in 1936 and 1937 respectively, a sharp decrease is shown in the figures for business premises but, nevertheless, there was sustained general activity during the year in this direction. \ Many permits were also issued lor small business premises—alterations and additions for modernisation. New business blocks projected for early in the New Year are in Broadway and Rangitikei Street, the latter being for a large insurance building. The value of public buildings authorised shows a decided increase. The figures include extensive alterations and additions to the. Post Office and Police Station, additions to the children’s ward and the laundry at the Hospital, an addition of some size to the Boys’ High School hostel, new class-rooms for the West End School, and additions to the living quarters at the Fire Station in Cuba Street. Projected for early in the New Year is the intermediate . school in Ferguson Street, and further big additions to tlie Hospital. The aggregate value of building for December is £11,013 (£3559 for the corresponding month last year), consisting of alterations and additions, and other buildings and nine' dwellings, valued at £10.573. . Comparative returns for the past six calendar years are as follow: OVER RECENT YEARS.

Totals ....... 92 .102,458 221.842 No State houses arc included in these figures.

January February March . April May June Julv August September October November December 1933. .. 2 .. 4 .. 4 .. * 2 . .. 3 .. 13 .. 13 .. 11 .. 8 ■ .. 8 .. 10 £ 1,625 2,760 2,319 1,000 800 1,562 9,276 8,533 8,221 5,018 6,058 6,023 £ 6,094 3,550 4,513 1,862 1,469 2,077 13,477 10,203 14,692 6,280 7,102 6,076 Totals ... 80 53,195 77,400 January 1934. ... 8 £ I)j037 £ 6,836February .. 2 1,256 3,511 March 3,7/5 4,632 April .. 3 1,896 5,078 May ... 4 2,360 4,923 June .. 4 2,103 3,364 July .. 3 2,260 3,159 August .. 6 3,825 4,353 September ... 11 8,931 6,118 16,912 October .. 10 14,218 November .. 9 6,129 7,249 December .. 6 3,804 4,134 Totals .. 72 47,994 78,369 January 1935. £ 4,321 £ 5,458 February ... 1,700 4,210 March .. 8 4,354 8,679 April .. 7 4,132 14,170 May .. 11 7,376 19,976 June .. 9 6,877 13,733 July 8 5,674 15,227 August .. 16 11,785 14,491 Septembei .. 14 11,585 17,747 October .... .. 7 4,929 6,247 November .. 13 10,158 20,061 December .. 5 3,560 6,741 Totals .. 107 76,451 146,740 1 1936. £ £ January .. 7 5,525 18,006 February .... .. 5 3,120 8,160 March .. 10 9,763 12,893 April .. 8 5,858 9,705 May ... 8 5,688 • 5,388 9.336 June .. 5 31,167 July .. 5 3,458 26,542 August .. 4 2,405 12,032 September .. 9 7,063 24,086 October .. 6 5,365 . 6,675 November .. 7 6,570 9,128 December .. 2 1,610 3,349 Totals .. 76 61,816 171,079 January 1937. .. 9 £ 7,254 £ 14,190 February .... .. 1 1,178 2,490 March ........ .. 5 3.626 21,120 April 3 -900 61,603 May .. 6 9,843 . 34,430 June .. 12. 11,030 . .14,188 July .. 3 2,598 18,987 August .. 6 6,047 12,260' September . .. 3 . 4,045 . 8,920. October 5,830 10,839 November ... .. 6 6,590 12,729 December ... 2 1,950 3,559 Totals .. 63 60,891 215,315 No State houses are included in these figures. 1938. ' £ 5.; £ January .. 4 4,795 6,848 February 5,500 • 8.609 March 9,330 12,602 April .. 6 10,125' 14,942 May .. 12 10,364 67.316 June .. 9 10,720 17,849 14-*52 July .. 8 7,994 August .. .8 7,515 17,746 September .. .. 5 4,922 14,711 October .. 13 14,975 25,977 November .... .. 6 5,645 9.877 December .... .. 9 10,573 11,013