RURAL HOUSING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25798, 20 March 1945, Page 4

RURAL HOUSING

SCHEME BREAKS DOWN CONTRACTORS BLAMED (Special) AUCKLAND, Mar. 19. Although 15 applications for housing under the rural housing scheme were recommended by the Whangarei Primary Production Council six months ago none has yet been finally dealt with. This position was placed before the Minister of Agriculture, Mr B. Roberts, by the council, which expressed the opinion that the scheme was being mismanaged, as private building was proceeding without any serious delay. Another point was that the farmer could often supply material, such as timber for a house, as well as labour, but this was not utilised under the scheme. Assistance could be given farmers by the release, at a low price, of disused army buildings. Married labour was required on farms, said Mr W. H. James, but in some cases such labour had had to be released to other industries on account of the rural accommodation difficulty. The Minister said that, although undertaken with the best intentions, rural housing had broken down. Building contractors were not interested in rural housing when there was plenty of work in the towns. The Minister of Housing. Mr R. Semple, was alive to this position and was considering taking steps to see that contractors took a share of rural housing, otherwise work on urban housing would be denied them. Mr Roberts said he would look into the question of the farmer himself supplying part of the labour and materials required for housing construction on his own farm.