STATE HOUSING SCHEME

Southland Times, Issue 23179, 21 April 1937, Page 4

STATE HOUSING SCHEME

Property In City Sought

PART OF THOMSON ESTATE TRUSTEES ASKED TO NAME PRICE Steps have been taken by the Government to acquire land in Invercargill for housing purposes, the area oemg part of me J. T, Thomson estate between Lindisfarne road and the city boundary

The Unde)-Secretary for Housing (Mr J. A. Lee) informed The Southland Times by telephone last night that the machinery oi the Public Works Act was being set in operation in Invercargill, but while he was not anxious to discuss the matter at the moment he said it was quite possible, as had happened in other places, that the vendor of the land in question might be willing to grant admission to it while action under the Act was proceeding. An agreement of that nature would facilitate the Invercargill scheme and would be in accordance with what was happening in other places. In the cases where the Government had taken action under the Public Works Act for housing purposes the other parties had freely granted the department admission to the properties, as they knew they were surrendering nothing and at the same time were assisting the scheme.

“If the Government is granted admission to the property proposed to be taken in Invercargill, it will push ahead with its housing scheme pending a final settlement,” said Mr Lee He concluded by saying that there was no suggestion of hostility between the various parties. Mr H. H. Royds, secretary of the trustees of the estate of the late J. T. Thomson, told The Southland Times yesterday that no indication had been received that the Government intended to acquire the area for housing. The trustees had been asked to state a price for the land and a block of two and a-half acres fronting Islington street had been offered to the Government, but the trustees had not offered the larger area of 23 acres, fronting Tay street, immediately to the east of the smaller block, as it was understood that a petition was being circulated for the inclusion of the larger block in the Turnbull Thomson Park. Since that date a letter had been received- from the City Council inquiring the cost of that block, and the trustees would be meeting today to consider that request.