ORAKEI HOUSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22878, 5 November 1937, Page 12

ORAKEI HOUSES

APPLICATIONS CLOSED EARLY CHOICE OF TENANTS OTHER SCHEMES POPULAR Applications for the dwellings being built at Orakei under the Government s housing scheme have been closed and although the finishing touches have still to be added to the houses and the selection of tenants made in Wellington, it is thought that before long the first of the homes will be occupied. Not much time should elapse between the selection of the tenants and their occupation.

Because all the applications are dealt with finally in Wellington, tho Auckland branch of the Stato Advances Corporation, which has been handling tho applications, does not know exactly how many persons have applied for tho Orakei houses. For all the Auckland schemes, however, about 1700 applications have been received, and it is thought that probably about onequarter of these are lor Orakei. This means that there is one house for every two applications. The remaining applications are for the houses being erected under the I'onsonbv, Devonport, Mount Roskill and Otahuhu schemes, which provide at the present time for about 400 homes. So far no closing date for the applications lias been fixed, and it is not at all likely that they will close before Christmas or the beginning of next vear.

It is already being made very clear that the house's being built on the Casey Estate in I Vinson by should prove extremely popular. A large number .oi inquiries continue to be made ior these dwellings, the proximity to the city being probably the chief reason for this. The scheme provides for 127 houses, which are to be built under seven separate contracts. Already more than 12 are taking shape and foundation pegs are being put in for others. The majority of the homes will be on the Richmond Road tram lino* and the others only a very short distance away. The first will not be completed for some weeks yet, but it is thought most of them should be occupied before tho autumn.