STATE HOUSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25454, 8 February 1944, Page 2

STATE HOUSES

WELLINGTON'S PROGRAMME CENTRALISATION OF LABOUR (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 7. Because the Government expects to start work soon on 1500 State houses in the Wellington area a request has been made to builders throughout the country for 350 workmen to supplement those already in the Wellington district. Builders have been told that unless they make the men available as volunteer labour, the Department of Housing Construction will have no option but to obtain individual workers through the man-power officers and have them transferred to Wellington.

The Builders and Contractors’ Association of Canterbury has received a letter from Mr W. J. Mountjoy, secretary of the New Zealand Builders’ Federation, saying that he had received advice of the proposals from the Commissioner of Works, Mr James Fletcher, after consultation with the Director of Housing Construction, Mr G. W. Albertson. “ The commissioner has requested that I should make it clear that it is desirable that the builders should furnish as complete an organisation as possible when coming to Wellington,” said Mr Mountjoy. “In the event of the builders failing to come forward with sufficient men in a form of their own or in combined organisations, the Department will have no option but to obtain individual workers through the man-power officers.”

Protests are likely as a result of the Government’s decision to start work on 1500 State houses in the Wellington district. The Mayor of Christchurch, Mr E. H. Andrews, this morning quoted figures to show How the South Island had suffered in comparison with building in the North. He said that Auckland and Wellington combined, with 64 per cent, of the population of the four main centres, had received 81 per cent, of the State houses built in New Zealand in 1941-42. The position of Christchurch and Dunedin, with 36 per cent, of the population, was 19 per cent, of the houses built. In the Christchurch urban area the population of 135,500 was 23 per cent, of the total for the four main centres, yet Christchurch had obtained only 15 per cent, of the State houses built in 1941-42.

Dunedin had fared worse, Mr Andrews added, securing only 4 per cent, of the houses, with 13 per cent, of the population. Auckland had actually secured 50 per cent, of the State houses built, and Wellington 31 per cent.