RURAL HOUSING NEEDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27248, 26 November 1949, Page 4

RURAL HOUSING NEEDS

NORTH OTAGO NEWS

Accleration Of Operations

EXTENSION TO NEW DISTRICTS

The Government has arranged a comprehensive survey of the housing needs of rural and semi-rural districts and in this review it had in mind the acceleration of building operations in localities where housing schemes had already been commenced, and also the extension of the programme to new districts. This information was received at yesterday’s meeting of Federated Farmers in a circular from Federated Farmers of New Zealand which enclosed a letter from the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash. As a result of representations by bodies operating in rural areas action was being taken to provide additional houses in 44 localities including Alexandra, Milton, Roxburgh and Kurow. It was intended that this policy should be continued and extended as the housing situation in these, and similar, localities warranted.

Referring to housing in more isolated localities, Mr Nash admitted that the steps already taken related to the localities where there was already some urban development. The Do-minion-wide survey confirmed the need for increased housing provision in other centres, but there were varying opinions as to the best method of tackling the problem. In the cases where action had already been taken, the houses would form part of the State Housing scheme, and the Government assumed the whole responsibility for the allocation and administration of such houses. It would be assumed,' Mr Nash said, that the Government would continue this policy in localities suitable for the purpose. In respect to other more isolated areas it was considered that the responsibility for selection of tenants and the supervision of property should be shared to some degree with local organisations. He was satisfied there was still scope for the implementation of the Rural Housing Act, 1939, and he confessed that the Government found it difficult to understand why so few of the County Councils should not have recognised the value of the enactment. Mr Nash quoted from one letter received from a council actively operating the Act, which stated that the council had achieved excellent results with the Rural Housing scheme, and since

its inception, in 1940, had advanced 50 housing loans to farmers.- There were in New Zealand, the letter stated, 125 County Councils, and it was unnecessary for him to stress the material contribution which could be made towards improving the housing situation in rural localities if councils showed the spirit of the one quoted. He did not wish it to be assumed that the Government looked to the Rural Housing Act as the whole answer to the problem, Mr Nash stated, and it was recognised that the case of the casual worker, not employed entirely on one farm, called for a different approach. To some extent this class would be covered by building operations already commenced and now being extended to small settlements. As to the proposals relating to the more isolated localities, where it would be inappropriate to apply the ordinary State Rental Scheme or the Rural Housing Act, the Government had not departed from the view that local authorities should accept some measure of responsibility. The Government had, therefore, decided, as a matter of jiolicy, to build State houses specially for rural workers in appropriate districts, subject to a local authority accepting responsibility for the selection of tenants, and the local administration, Mr Nash said.

He hoped that it would be possible to give effect to the policy at an early date. Details of procedure could be the subject of later discussion, but the immediate objective was to obtain the concurrence of the Counties’ Association and its component members. Mr A. McMillan (chairman): It smells like the Rimutaka tunnel!