DEFENCE BUILDINGS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 1 September 1945, Page 4

DEFENCE BUILDINGS

HOUSING PROGRAMME affected MINISTER GIVES FIGURES t (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) Wellington, Aug. 31. As the housing problem had been used as a political football, said the Minister of Works (Mr Semple) in the House of Representatives, he had decided to put on record the work done in New Zealand during the war period. Housing, he pointed out, had been a problem for 40 years, but it had become accentuated through the war, when every constructional activity had to be turned to defence purposes. Timber used on construction of defence buildings, said the Minister, had amounted to over 382,000.000 super feet up till March 31 last. That could have provided 37,241 houses. But turned i into defence uses, it had given accommodation to New Zealand and Allied troops equal to 17 new towns, complete with all services, each with a population of about 10,000. The cost of defence construction had been over £47,500,000 and the civilian labour employed on that immense programme was equivalent to 35,000 man-years. Among the details of th e buildings mentioned by the Minister were military hospitals with a total floor area of over 1,800,000 square feet. In addition convalescent depots and camp hospitals for 1100 patients were provided and extensions made to public hospitals. Defence buildings constructed during the war were 33,050 in number, with a total floor area of 20,500.000 square feet. From the commencement of the housing programme in June, 1937, said Mr Semole. progressive purchase of land suitable for the development of building sections had been made, sufficient to provide over 40,000 house units in 184 towns and localities. Up to March 31 of this year 17,741 house units had been com. pleted and handed over for occupation. During the period from April 1, 1940, to March 31 last 11.282 units had been completed. On March 31 last 3441 units were under construction. For the first four months of 1945-46. 843 houses were completed, making the grand total of houses erected 18.614.