Houses and More Houses

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 68, 22 March 1935, Page 6

Houses and More Houses

Tenants Ready to Let and Builders to Build

SUBSIDY AVAILABLE FROM UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD

Palmerston North needs houses. According to land agents there is an increasing inquiry for them and according to builders, they are needed to give work to unemployed tradesmen. Vet building operations are not as speedy as they might be from the point of view of both prospective tenants and those who are only too ready to weild saw aud hammer.

These facts were brought to light- at a meeting of those interested in the building trade held in the city last evening called primarily to give more publicity to the Unemployment Board’s No. 12 building .subsidy scheme. Mr. H. B. Free was in the chair ami said he hoped ways and means would be found of introducing the scheme to Palmerston North, whei'o it was at present inoperative. Similar schemes had worked well in Palmerston North in previous years and it was a wonderful opportunity to get men into employment.' For in the production of nearly all things, about 80 per cent, of the money spent went in labour. Mr. Free read a letter from an accredited land agent of the city who declared that; there would not be the sligiitest trouble in arranging for tenants for new houses. The city was underbuilt and rents seemed to be rising. During the past few months there had been many more inquiries and new bungalows could be let verv easily.

Mr, W. C. Harrington pointed out. that there was a shortage of houses in the Dominion and lie who was owning houses and receiving rents was in a much better position than he who held montages and received interest. Money could be easily secured for house building and an investment in buildings was a gilt-edge security. Mr. Harrington said ho could foresee a boom in buildings in the city before

very long. Mr. 11. E. Townsend agreed that houses were in demand and that building was a good investment for the man with money. The subsidy available was equivalent to reducing interest on £OOO for a period of five years to 2) per cent. What cheaper money than that could one wish for 1 ? From the unemployment point of view also the scheme was an excellent one as it absorbed labour and so helped everybody. Information on the scheme was given by Air. W. H. Cadwaliader, representative of the Unemployment Board. The object of No. 12 scheme was to get men back into their acknowledged trades. And if they could be got back iuto their jobs, so much the bettor would it be not only for the men but also for the taxpayer. Palmerston North was lagging a little behind in putting the scheme into operation and that was not as it should be for a progressive town. Figures showed that Palmerston North had only erected 2.25 houses per 1000 of tlie population under the scheme as against 5.05 per 1000 in Hamilton, 5 per 1000 in Invercargill, 4 per 1000 of population in Nelson aud 3.1 per 1000 ol population in Now Plymouth. The figures for Aucklaud were 1.17 houses per 1000 people, Wellington J.OB, Christchurch, 2.25, and Dunedin 2.23. Tho South Island was taking more advantage of the scheme than (tie North Island. In Palmerston North 9S applications had been received, the estimated cost of the buildings being 1100,517. .Vs SO per cent, ol that money went in wages, one could see how the scheme had helped Palmerston North workers. Of the PS applications, 35 had been completed at a cost of £22,027, tho subsidy amounting to £2002. So that in spending £2002, the Unemployment Board managed to get £22,027 circulated, Nineteen jobs were now under way engaging JSO rnen of all trades. Mr. Cadwaliader said a conservative estimate showed that 20,000 houses were required in New Zealand.

Answering a question, Mr. CadwalJadcr said the board would consider giving a subsidy on additions to buildings. Mr. E. Anderson thought there would be a greater number of houses built if the Unemployment Board could bridge the gap between tho money a prospective owner could find and the cost of the dwelling—usually a matter of £IOU or a little more. There was always a desire to own a house.

Other speakers ventured the opinion that the Government would not consider any suggestion that would involve it in any further financial commitments. Mr. D. Watson, in commenting on the low figures for Palmerston North, thought it was due mainly to a want of knowledge that the - subsidy was available. Mr. A. Clarke was of similar mind and moved that an advertising fund be created to promote building in the city and to get men back to work at standard rates of pay. This was agreed to and tho following committee was set up to further the matter: —Messrs E. Anderson, P. G. Cope, 11. E. Townsend, A. Clark, L. Jones, A. R. Allen, 11. it. Mclver and W. C. Harrington. A motion was also carried urging the Unemployment Board to extend its scheme to the renovation of houses, the subsidy to be 10 per cent, of the cost of the work. For new buildings the subsidy is Is per square foot of all new and totally enclosed floor space computed on overall measurement over external wails but the subsidy shall not exceed S per cent, of the contract price with a maximum for a, single dwelling of^f-SO.