STATE HOUSING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22722, 7 May 1937, Page 10

STATE HOUSING

SCHEME AT FRANKTON EARLY START . EXPECTED PLANS FOR 21 DWELLINGS - [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Thursday Advice that the erection of 21 houses at Frankton will be started shortly hat been received «C. A. Barrell, M.E., from Mr. J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Under-Secretary in charge of housing. • The houses will be erected on an area acquired from Mr. T. G. Reynolds at Norton Road, Frankton, states Mr. Lee. Eight will be included in one contract and 10- in the seconds and there will be individual contracts for the remaining three. Two houses will be two-unit fiats, so that there will be accommodation for 23 tenants. It is hoped to have tenders called by May 24 and from the moment the building is started other contracts will be let to maintain good business conditions in the building trade. SPOILS TO VICTORS SUGGESTION MADE. NEW PLYMOUTH COMPLAINT POLITICAL REPRESENTATION [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION"] NEW PLYMOUTH, Thursday "I hope I am not being unfair to anyone when I draw attention to a rather remarkable fact, . that, of 13 towns included in the Government's latest list of projected housing schemes, nine returned Government candidates at the ; last election, and the remaining four | were already represented by members ! of the same party," said the president |of the Taranaki Chamber of Comj meree, Mr. D. F. Saxton, at a meeting ! of the council of the chamber to-night. "Excluding Napier, which, owing to j the earthquake, must be regarded as a j special case," he added, "only two towns in New Zealand with a popula- - tion of over 10,000 are excluded from the list. They are the only two large towns that returned Opposition members —Nelson and New Plymouth, with a population of oyer 18,000. "Of the 13 towns mentioned;- six have a population under 10,000, and two under 5000. Surely it is asking too much of our credulity to believe that all these places have a greater need of new houses than New Plymouth, where there is an acute shortage? "Whether there is any political significance in this rather remarkable position is not the business of this chamber," added Mr. S'pxton, "but we are vitally concerned with the facts that there is an acute shortage of rentai houses at New Plymouth, that the | building trade has seldom been so stagi nant, and that New Plymouth has so | far been overlooked in favour of every I other large town, except Nelson. We | can be excused if we feel that it has | been a case of spoils to the victors.". The chamber , decided to make 'strong representations to the GoVernment Housing Department, and to emphasise, that a promise had been made by Mr. J. A. Lee, Under-Secretary in .charge of housing, that work at New Plymouth would be undertaken shortlv. ,