STATE HOUSING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 17 January 1939, Page 10

STATE HOUSING

SURVEY BY MINISTER NEED FOR SPEEDING UP I Unite'! PreHH Association! DUNEDIN. 16th January. Since taking over the portfolio of Housing the Hon. H. T. Armstrong has been busy surveying the scope of the Department in 83 towns in which it is building dwellings. The Minister, who goes to Christchurch to-morrow after an official visit to Dunedin, said to-day that having completed an official survey of his nev. Department his next concern was to get out to the jobs to see something of the practical side of the work being done by the 5000 men employed. Information given by the Minister shows that 2300 houses have been completed and 2100 are in course of construction. Contracts have been let for an additional 1000 not yet commenced, and the Department awaits satisfactory tenders on a further 660. Although the housing shortage 'S being attacked on a wide front Mr rmstrong did not express himself ».ea» iy satisfied with the speed being na:le. having in mind that there were about 15.000 applications for people in various parts who needed houses. He so?d that if he could get skilled men he could double the rate. The need for faster completion was an aspect cn which he intended to concentrate at present. Much of the Minister’s time has been taken up with correspondence from applicants urging particular claims. The impression appeared to be that precedence could be secured by writing to the Minister, but the fact was that houses were allotted trictly according to the urgency of individual cases by a committee associated with the State Advances Department.