NEED OF HOMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24877, 26 April 1944, Page 4

NEED OF HOMES

RETURNED SERVICEMEN

PROBLEM IN AUCKLAND Proposals for the improvement of the housing position, so far as servicemen and ex-servicemen were affected, were laid before members of Parliament who met the joint sub-committee of the ] Auckland Returned Services Associa- 1 tion and the Second N.Z.E.F. Asso- . ciation during the week-end. lhe presi- J dent of the R.S.A., Mr. A. P. Postlewaite, was chairman of the meeting, and the members of Parliament present were Mr. F. Hackett, chairman of the Auckland Rehabilitation Committee's housing sub-committee, Mr. W. T. Anderton, Mr. P. Carr and Mr. R. M. Algie. The meeting was not open to the press. Leave and Transit Camps In a statement made later, the chairman said one suggestion was that leave and transit camps should be established for Allied servicemen. It was alleged that these men were given preference over New Zealanders at boarding houses and that if the proposed camps were provided more board and lodging would be available for | civilians. . The provision of sub-standard houses was also raised. It was considered that J such houses might be erected by the ! Government on empty sections in vari- j ous parts of the city, the land being j leased until the owner was prepared j to erect a permanent house. Some j doubt was expressed as, to the advisability of using labour and materials for this type of house when they might ; be better employed in providing something more permanent. ; The Issue of Permits After attention had been called to the fact that cabarets, milk bars and expensive residences were being built with materials which could be_ used for small homes, the joint committee expressed the opinion that there should be more strict control over the issue of permits, said Mr. Postlewaite. Another suggestion was that local committees should be established in each town, as in England, with full power to carry out housing programmes. It was emphasised that the first consideration in the rehabilitation of returned men should be the provision of - homes. The members of Parliament promised that the points raised would be placed before the Government. One member stated that the position was fully realised and plans !or the building of homes were being made through the departments- responsible for the supply of labour and materials.