STATE TO BUILD FLATS NEXT

Northern Advocate, 27 December 1937, Page 3

STATE TO BUILD FLATS NEXT

[Special to "Northern, Advocate/’] AUCKLAND. This Day.

The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, during the week-end, announced the Government’s intention to erect houses, comprising four small fiats, suitable for elderly people, young married couples without children, or pensioners. lie stated that the scheme may be subsequently extended to other parts of the Dominion, but the first group of buildings is to be erected at the Tramway Extension Estate, Point Chevalier.

It is understood that the rent of each flat will be in the vicinity of 14/ a week, although no official verification of this lias been obtained.

“Tenders are being called for the erection of a group of these houses at Point Chevalier,’’ Mr Savage said.

Single-Floor Buildings

“The contract provides for the erection of four flats of the bed-sitting room kitchenette type, - all in one building and with one community laundry for the four flats. The buildings will be of the single floor variety and the accommodation will be such as to supply the needs,of a type of tenant of moderate means for whom little has been done in the past.” “Eeach flat will have a separate entrance and will bo separated from the adjoining apartments by hollow brick sound-proof walls. The sitting rooms will be designed with a recess large enough to provide sleeping accommodation, which could bo screened off from the main living room. In' addition. there will be for each flat n little area of ground.

Slum Clearance.

“Double floors have been avoided in the initial scheme,” Mr. Savage said “but -the two-storo./ or the storey and

a half house will appear at the point at which sufficient alternative accommodation is available to permit of

slum clearance.

“Slum clearance schemes in Great Britain have always been prosecuted on the understanding that alternative l ccornmoclation mrst be available before slums are demolished, and something of the same nature will have to be taken into cor.Gderat.ion in New Zealand.

"Plans are also being prepared for a bousing scheme of the two-storey variety in an area in Wellington at present owned by the Crown.

If the plan suggests economical and efficient treatment, and if the local authorities are agreeable, an early experiment will be conducted in the erection of a type of house and flat suitable for slum clearance. “A feature will be the provision of wide, grassed playing fields.”