HOUSE BUILDING IN WAR TIME

Southland Times, Issue 24675, 21 February 1942, Page 4

HOUSE BUILDING IN WAR TIME

COUNTY COUNCIL’S OPPOSITION TRANSFER OF LABOUR URGED The Southland County Council decided yesterday to cease the operation of the Rural Housing Act in the county because of the war situation and to inform the Minister of Housing (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) that it considered that men should be withdrawn from housing and all other non-essential industries and diverted to essential defence and fighting services. In proposing the motion, the acting chairman (Cr L. A. Niederer) said he was strongly of the opinion that house building and other non-essential work should be held over until a more suitable time. The men now employed in them could be transferred to war work. “After what happened at Pearl Harbour, we all know that the Japanese might be here in the morning,” he continued. “So far in this war we have always been late in getting off the mark. The democracies did not want war, and while we were working for peace our neighbours were building up armaments. This is a most critical period for the British Empire and we should try to give a lead to the Government. We should state that we think that housing should now be stopped and also any other industries not essential to the war effort. We are up against a strong power that is at our very door. Only yesterday Australia was raided and it may be our turn next. At such a time the war effort must come first.” CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

Cr T. Golden said he thought the majority of the people of New Zealand were of the opinion that, steps should be taken to protect the homes now in existence instead of building new ones. He considered that all capital expenditure should be held up until more favourable times. It was late in the day, but not too late to divert artisans and tradesmen to defence works. It would be disappointing to some to find that they could not get new homes just now, but all should realize that the building trade was using a lot of labour which could be more profitably utilized on defence schemes, said Cr J. McNeill. He hoped it would not be Ipng before the tide would turn and it would be possible to resume civilian work again. The council had been doing splendid work in rural housing, and it was a pity it had to stop it, said Cr W. M. Norman. However, these were not normal times and such work should be held up in the meantime. The motion was carried unanimously.