GOVERNMENT FLATS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26077, 14 February 1946, Page 6

GOVERNMENT FLATS

HOUSING DEPARTMENT’S , PLANS PROPOSED BLOCK IN DUNEDIN Plans for the erection by the Go▼erhment Housing Department of a block of flats in Dunedin were under consideration, said the Director of Housing (Mr G. W. Albertson) when addressing a conference which was held in the Council Chamber yesterday to discuss the housing situation generally. Mr Albertson said that there were some builders who did not care to undertake cottage work but preferred the erection of buildings in reinforced concrete. If the proposals for the erection of a block of flats were gone ahead with, it would be part of the general scheme and would not interfere with the cottage building that was being carried on at Corstorphine. The speaker mentioned that when a similar scheme had been put into operation on a large scale in Auckland, the Auckland City Council had practically made a gift of land valued at £25,000. Mr Albertson said that an examination had been made of land in one of the decadent areas in Dunedin with a view to the erection of a block of flats, and the co-operation of the Mayor (Mr D. C. Cameron) had been sought to ascertain how far this part of the housing scheme might be proceeded with. The Government housing architect (Mr G. F. Wilson) said the provision of flats met the requirements of those people who must live close to their work and others who did not want the responsibility of a house or a garden. Some who had large houses and whose families had'grown up and left would be glad of the opportunity to rent flats, and thus make their houses' available for young families. After the meeting, Mr Albertson informed- a Daily Times reporter that the plans contemplated made provision fo& a block of 62 flats, on a site which was at present under consideration..