HOUSES AT £300.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15956, 18 October 1922, Page 5

HOUSES AT £3OO.

BRICKLAYERS DOUBLE OUTPUT. LONDON, Sept. 2.—Houses are being built to-day at half the money they cost a year ago, and the tendency of prices is still downward. Sir Charles Ruthen, Director-General of Housing at the Ministry of Health, states that wo are fast approaching the time when it will be possible to consider housing as an economic proposition, that is to say, when the rents which can bo reasonably charged will recoup the building costs. At Nottingham and Leicester housse are being built for lew thai* £3oo."The average cost of similar houses in April of last year was £Bl6. Nottingham's price is £298 18. s 7d per house, and the "all in" price, which includes the cost of land, roads, and sewers, is £349 3s 7d. The houses in question are of the "nonparlour" type, comprising a living room, three bed rooms, scullery, bathroom, w.c, coal house, and larder. The parlour type of house contains the same accommodation plus a parlour. Sir Charles Ruthen stated that the three main factors which wcto responsible for this great) fall in prices were:— (1) Increase in the output, of the work(2) Reductions, in wages and materials. (3) Smaller profits accepted by builders.

Undoubtedly the greatest cause was Ihe first. The reductions in wages and materials could lie measured, and they were responsible for one-third of the saving. Labor was responsible for the overwhelming part of the remainder. The operative to-tlay was giving, on are aver age, approximately one hundred per cent, more output than he was giving in April, 1921.