NEED FOR HOUSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27211, 14 October 1949, Page 8

NEED FOR HOUSES

RURAL AREAS IN SOUTH ISLAND LOCAL BODIES’ DISCUSSION Staff Reporter QUEENSTOWN, Oct. 13. . The great need for more houses in the South Island, particularly in places where primary production would be increased if accommodation were available for increased numbers of workers, was emphasised in a report presented at the conference of the South Island Local Bodies’ Association, which concluded at Queenstown to-day. Mr D. H. Cockburn,’ chairman of the Lake County Council, presenting the report, said that three houses were being built by private enterprise to one State house in the Dominion to-day, but rents in State houses were lower than those which private owners had to charge for their houses.

The committee’s report, which was adopted without dissent, was: “ Though disagreeing in principle with further expansion of State enterprise, this association, in the interests of the South Island, is forced to press for a more just proportion of State houses being built in the South Island. We strongly urge that in the interests of the expansion of primary production a greater proportion of State houses be allocated to rural areas and preferably in groups calculated to house farm labour where such workers would be of greatest advantage to the industry. The committee recommends that where warranted and necessary, funds be made available in approved cases and with the necessary safeguards, to primary producers—in particular where in the interests of increased production housing is essential —at rates of interest in line with those chargeable to the Housing Department.” In a note to the report it was added that county council housing schemes could not compete with the State in so far as materials were not so readily available, all details were chargeable against the job, and the normal commercial rate of interest had to be met, necessitating a much higher rent than was payable by tenants occupying State houses.