RURAL HOUSING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27317, 17 February 1950, Page 4

RURAL HOUSING

ISOLATED AREAS MINISTER’S PROPOSAL FARMERS NOT ENTHUSIASTIC The Minister of Works, Mr Goosman, has advised Federated Farmers of New Zealand that he i§ prepared,to authorise the building of State houses in isolated rural areas provided Federated Farmers, groups of farmers, or county councils will give an undertaking to the Government in writing that they will be primarily responsible for the payment of the rent. The Minister pointed out that this was necessary to ensure that the investment of public money in these houses was a sound project and that farmers would use the houses for the purposes for which they were built. Advice to this effect was given to the executive of Federated Farmers of Otago in a circular letter from the Dominion headquarters. The letter asked that a survey should be made of the number of houses required and the number of houses for which guarantees would be forthcoming. The letter added that the Minister had promised to make a start on rural State houses in those -districts which first agreed to supply undertakings as suggested. The Minister also stated that the present rental of 27s 6d a week for State houses might be increased to make the State housing scheme pay its way. The secretary, Mr E. H. Calder, said that a survey made in 1948 showed that 30 rural State houses were required in Otago. “If we are asked to guarantee the rents we might as well build the houses ourselves,” said Mr T. Burnside (Hillend).