COMMITMENTS OF £4,000,000,

Southland Times, Issue 23513, 20 May 1938, Page 4

COMMITMENTS OF £4,000,000,

Government Housing Scheme 153 FIRMS ENGAGED IN CONSTRUCTION (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 19. A statement that the total commitments to date under the Government’s housing scheme, including land and. housing, amounted to £4,000,000 was made this evening by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary in Charge of Housing (Mr J. A. Lee). He said a start was made with organizing in September 1936 and the first contracts were signed in March 1937. The progress since then had been noteworthy. “Land for State housing has been acquired in 83 towns,” said Mr Lee. “Tenders have been called for 3777 houses. There are houses occupied in no fewer than 20 towns. The average number of houses in each contract is five. The Housing Construction Department has at present 153 different conr tracting firms at work or just beginning work, In addition, double that number of firms are probably engaged as subcontractors. The total number of persons directly engaged on housing construction and associated works is 4582 and probably at least 9164 persons in all are directly deriving employment as a result of the operations of the department. These people are in turn employing retailers, manufacturers and so on.”