SUPPLYING HOUSING NEEDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22538, 1 October 1936, Page 10

SUPPLYING HOUSING NEEDS

Before the Government starts to spend the sum of £3,500,000 for the wholesale building of houses, it should satisfy itself that there is a real need requiring to be met. At the present time houses are being erected by private enterprise at a remarkable rate. In Auckland City alone, exclusive of the suburbs, 290 building permits for houses have been issued this year, against 194 in the first nine months of last year. The rate of increase is just over 50 per cent and, if it is continued, should quickly overtake any existing shortage, as well as providing for the slow growth of population. The same actively constructive tendency is shown in the figures for New Zealand. In the 12 months ended July 31, no less than 3595 houses were erected in the cities and largertowns. If the smaller towns and counties were included, the number would probably exceed 4000. When it is remembered that New Zealand's increase of population has fallen below 10,000 a year, the addition of 4000 new houses must be considered as a generous provision. Some allowance should probably be made ! for depression arrears and certainly for replacements, but there is also the large increase in residential accommodation represented by the many new blocks of flats.* In the circumstances the Government should make Bure it is not rushing to supply a demand already being fully met by private building. Mr. Lee has stated that the housing survey is not yet complete, and he should certainly postpone operations until he is in possession of the facts. As it is, the building subsidy has been withdrawn because there is no longer any need to promote employment in the industry. Mr. Armstrong says competent building tradesmen are almost at a premium. If, in addition, it should be found that private building is providing fully for housing needs, a State scheme would be wasteful and purposeless. It is far better that houses should be erected as units, with the individuality that is part of real homes, than massproduced and standardised under a State plan.