STATE HOUSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23143, 15 September 1938, Page 14

STATE HOUSES

PURCHASES OP LAND AREAS IN AUCKLAND ANOTHER 56 DWELLINGS [by telegraph—press association] WELLINGTON, Wednesday Further purchases of land for State houses have been approved by the Cabinet. The Parliamentary Under-Secre-tary for Housing, Mr. J. A. Lee, announced to-day that those include areas in Three Kings Road, Queensway, St. Andrew's Road and Duke Street, Mount Roskill, for approximately 14 houses, in Campboll Road, One Tree Hill, for 88 houses, and at the corner of Sandringham Road and Watson Avenue, Sandringham, for four houses. The following contracts for house construction have been approved:— Auckland: Fletcher Construction Company, Limited, three single-house units and two two-house units at Remuera, also six single-house units and one twohouso unit at Point Chevalier. Hamilton: D. C. Street, 10 single-house units and four two-house units. Huntly: G. Giles, two singlo-house units.

INDIGENT MAORIS

NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT "DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS" SCHEME FOR ASSISTANCE [by telegraph—special hepoiitkk] WELLINGTON, Wednesday The importance of improved housing conditions for the Maori people was emphasised by the Minister of Health, the Hon. P. Eraser, during the debate on the Native Housing Bill in the House of Representatives to-night. "This bill makes it possible for Maori people who havo no security to got money for tho erection of houses," said Mr. Fraser. "The houses can be let, leased or sold, and the sum of £50,000 is set aside for the provision of housing for indigent natives. I have seen some of their houses in North Auckland and elsewhere, and I cannot feel gratified at the conditions, which in some cases are primitive and deplorable. I was staggered at some of the things I saw." Sir Apirana Ngata (Opposition — Eastern Maori) said the bill constituted a remarkablo advance in the attitude of the Native Affairs Department toward a very serious problem. He hoped to see the day when the provision for housing for indigent Maoris would be ten times as liberal as that in the bill.

Mr. E. L. Cullen (Government — Hawke's Bay) and Mr. E. T. Tirikatene (Southern Maori) also spoke on the need for improved housing conditions and the bill was subsequently put through committee and passed.