STATE HOUSES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 98, 25 March 1939, Page 8

STATE HOUSES

5000 IN A YEAR. REORGANISATION PLANS. An indication that the Government had decided upon a reorganisation of the production methods to accelerate the output of State rental dwellings during the year was given the “Standard” this morning by Lion. H. T. Armstrong (Minister in Charge ol Housing) in an interview. Mr Armstrong, who returned to Wellington later in the day, carried out an inspection of State houses in the city and adjacent areas and expressed himself as well-satisfied with the type of house erected and the sites secured. “We are producing houses as fast as we can,” said Mr Armstrong, “and the demand is increasing. A\ e are reorganising the whole thing with a view to obtaining a much more rapid output than in the past. The idea of bringing men from Australia is to double the rate of output. “Under the present programme, we aim to build 5000 houses in the coming year, and that will require 3000 more tradesmen than are employed at the present time, and a much greater quantity of seasoned timber. AVe haven’t the kiln-drying apparatus we need at the present time to supply our needs, and we will either build our own kilns or induce builders and others to assist. Discussions are proceeding at present with that end in view.” Mr Armstrong said it had been estimated by officials in a position to know that of the machinery required by the enlarged programme proposed onlv 12 per cent, would require to be 'imported, and the remainder could he produced in the Dominion. The real difficulty lay in AA’ellington and Auckland. Out of about 16,000 applications for State rental houses, 12,000 were from these two centres. “That is where we are concentrating, but building is continuing, of course, in other centres as labour is available.” added the Minister. “I had a look at the houses at Otaki. Levin and other places along the line,” said Mr Armstrong, who expressed satisfaction with the standard of work and the good sites obtained for the dwellings. “State houses are landmarks throughout tho Dominion,” lie observed