HOUSING SHORTAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12161, 11 June 1925, Page 6

HOUSING SHORTAGE

WHAT GOVERNMENT HAS DONE MR WRIGHT REPLIES TO CRITICS Speaking at the Reform meeting at Khandallah on Tuesday evening, Mr R. A. IVright, M.P., said that the Government had been criticised somewhat severely on aocount of the short age of houses in New Zealand. While it was perfectly true that there was a shortage of accommodation for the people, it should, however, he borne in mind that the present Government had done a very great deal to meet the difficulty. The fact was overlooked that in former years speculative builders operated very largely in New Zealand ; but to-day the speculative builder had ceased operations, and practically the bulk of the building of now houses fell to the lot of the Government. During the last two years large additions had been made to the capital of the State Advances Office, the amount of £6,725,000 having been raised for „ its purpose, exclusive of charges and expenses as follows —advances to settlers. £3.925,000; advances to workers, £2,800,000. Then, in re. gard to housing, during the three years ended March 31st, 1925, the capital provided by the Government for the purpose of erecting dwellings amounted approximately to £8,000,000, representing 10,980 applicants for whom houses had been provided by the State Advances Office, the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Department, the Advances to Lceal Authorities Department, and other departments. The Wellington City Council, he added, had made an attempt to assist —not perhaps to any great extent—in this work, and had erected 22 houses at a cost of £30,000.