Desperate House Shortage All Over Australia

Northern Advocate, 6 July 1945, Page 3

Desperate House Shortage All Over Australia

(Special) SYDNEY. This Day. The release of thousands of men from the services is aggravating the acme hous mg shortage in Australia. Mr. B. J. McDonald, Federal president ol the Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women, states that unless the housing programme is kept in step with army reteases, the situation for civilians and soldiers will become chaotic by tile end of the year. Servicemen facing discharge were in a desperate position, he said, and many were unlit to search for homes. Mr. McDonald suggested that the services should help immediately with the housing programme. “Let us see the forestry unit and a few other housing units under army control to help to ease this shortage,” he said. The Federal Government is paying earnest attention to the problem, and is'investigating means of increasing house pro duetion. the Minister for Labour (Mr. Holloway) said. Orthodox methods were unlikely to achieve the high targets m housing construction set. by the Commonwealth Government. Prefabrication of dwellings and other means of improving production were being investigated. Mr. Holloway said the Government was asking State Premiers to introduce legislation empowering local Government bodies to permit subdivision of homes. Mr. Holloway also announced that special efforts will be made by the manpower directorate to obtain releases from the services of technical men, skilled artisans and other building operatives to help in the housing programme. The Director of War Housing (Mr. A. W. Welch) sain heavy mechanical equipment for trench-digging, equivalent to some 400 to 500 men would be made available by the Commonwealth Government.