STATE HOUSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27391, 17 May 1950, Page 6

STATE HOUSES

Provision For Purchase EARLY STATEMENT He was confident that quite a number of tenants of the State s 32,000 houses would be prepared to buy the homes they were now renting, stated the Minister in Charge of the State Advances Corporation, Mr Marshall, when interviewed by the Daily Times last night. A very fair value had been worked out on the houses, and. the necessary machinery prepared to permit tenants to purchase. The prices fixed would, where purchases were undertaken, be at a rate very little in excess of that which tenants were paying on the old rental basis. They would have the added satisfaction of knowing, too, that they were making payments on homes which they would own. The scheme proposed would be submitted to Cabinet within the next 10 days or so, and if approved would be put into operation immediately. A statement setting out the Government’s plans in this regard would be made after Cabinet had dealt with the matter. ... The Minister stated that some indication of the people’s desire to purchase was seen in the number of applications which had already been received by the State Advances .Corportion in Christchurch, where so far over 100 tenants had signified their intention to purchase the homes they were now renting. This morning the Minister will be engaged on departmental business and will leave for Invercargill in the afternoon to make personal contact with the officers of his corporation in the southern city. He will return north on Thursday.