HOUSING PROBLEM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23731, 11 February 1939, Page 14

HOUSING PROBLEM

FASTER CONSTRUCTION SKILLED LABOUR TO BE IMPORTED GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Feb. 10. The steps that are to be taken by the Government to accelerate housing construction in the Dominion, were outlined by the Prime Minister (Mr M. J. Savage) in an interview at the conclusion of to-day's caucus of the Parliamentary Labour Party. He said that immediate efforts were to be made to obtain skilled tradesmen from abroad and to train a greater number of New Zealanders for the building trade. The caucus is to resume to-mor-row morning when consideration is to be given questions of defence. The housing problem, Mr Savage said, had been discussed very fully by members of the caucus. The Minister for Housing (Mr H. T. Armstrong) had given an address in which he gave extensive details of the State housing scheme and referred to the difficulty of obtaining the services of a sufficient number of experienced tradesmen. Training of New Zealanders Everyone was of the opinion that immediate steps should be taken to bring skilled men from abroad and train more New Zealanders for the building trade as well, Mr Savage said. It was felt that, unless some such action were taken, it would be impossible to overtake the arrears of years in the construction of houses. Efforts would be made in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia to obtain the additional tradesmen required from overseas, the Prime Minister added. Australia and Canada were probably the most suitable countries because the tradesmen there were more accustomed to colonial building requirements. Mr Savage said that the activities of the Labour Department were also the subject of a report by the Minister of Labour (Mr P. C. Webb). This department would be concerned in the training of additional tradesmen in this country, and proposals had been submitted by Mr Webb for having men from 138 scheme trained in building and other crafts and restored back to industry. Industrial Expansion Further consideration, Mr Savage said, had also been given to the question of industrial expansion within the Dominion. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr D. G. Sullivan) had reported on .the progress made up to the present. Every member of the party would be taking part in a campaign in support of New Zealand industries. Defence was to be discussed at the resumed meeting of the caucus in the morning, Mr Savage added, and it was hoped to finish the caucus by mid-day. " We have had a very interesting two days discussing and considering the things that matter at the moment," Mr Savage said.