MORE HOUSES TO BE BUILT

Southland Times, Issue 23379, 10 December 1937, Page 4

MORE HOUSES TO BE BUILT

STATE DWELLINGS IN CITY TENDERS FOR 25 ACCEPTED Contracts for the construction of the second block of State houses for Invercargill have been let to Invercargill contractors. There are 25 houses in this block, and they will be erected on land with a frontage to Tweed street immediately west of Lindisfarne road. Tire property was purchased by the Government from the estate of the late J. T. Thomson.

Mr W. M. C. Denham, M.P. for Invercargill, advised The Southland Times by telegram yesterday that Cabinet had approved of contracts for a further group of 25 houses for Invercargill. The successful contractors are: R. Richardson, Invercargill, 21 houses. G. R. Bain, Invercargill, four houses. “As soon as formalities are completed it is understood the construction of the houses will begin,” added Mr Denham. The first contract comprised 22 houses, so that the second group will bring the total of State houses erected in Invercargill to 47. This is expected to reduce the shortage of rented houses in the city. Good progress has been made with the first contract They were begun four and a-half months ago and it is expected that they will be available for tenanting early in March. At the present time the contractor, Mr R. Richardson, is finding it difficult to get the services of the sub-contractors, but the work is well ahead of contract time.

It is expected that the second contract will take about nine months to complete. Contracts have been let for the erection of 109 additional houses in various parts of New Zealand, according to a Press Association message received yesterday from Wellington. In addition, areas providing for the construction of 146 dwellings have been acquired by the Housing Department in various centres throughout New Zealand. Mr J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Under-Secretary in Charge of Housing, announced that Cabinet had approved of further contracts for drainage and sewerage work for six housing groups. FIRST AGREEMENT SIGNED IN AUCKLAND (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, December 9. The first tenant of the new Government houses at Orakei signed a tenancy agreement with the State Advances Corporation today and with his wife and children will probably occupy the dwelling allotted him during the next few days. The house, which is a four-roomed bungalow facing Coates avenue, is one of 12 of which the Government obtained possession from the contractors on Wednesday.