HOUSING PROBLEM

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 68, Issue 5942, 12 May 1944, Page 2

HOUSING PROBLEM

DISCUSSION AT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING PLANS OF HOUSES SUBMITTED A round-the-table discussion on housing took place at a meeting of Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday evening, when Mr H. C. Date (president) occupied the chair. Mr A. G. Warburton said he had seen two plans of houses built in Hamilton, but the plans were ambiguous and one could not tell which was the one referred to in the covering letter. One plan was that of quite* a good house, but the other plan was that of just a house. Mr L. G. Armstrong recounted the discussion at a previous meeting of the Borough Council, when those plans were before them. Mr Warburton said the Government was taking all tradesmen to Wellington, and also said that 500 houses were to be erected in Auckland. One could not be unmindful of the. housing needs of in Te Awamutu. He had had "many people calling at his office looking for houses and even offering bonuses if he could find them houses. The position was deseprate, and it was just a question if the Government was justified in withdrawing tradesmen from the inland districts where there was such a need for houses. No private investor would build houses, for the costs were prohibitive, and the restrictive regulations so many that, far from being an investment, house property showed a loss when maintenance costs were taken into account. Mr Warburton moved that as there was a still unsatisfied, demand for houses in Te Awamutu the Government be asked to build more dwellings in Te Awamutu. Mr L. G. Armstrong seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Warburton said there was need for another hundred houses in Te Awamutu. The chairman said if they did not get more response to a building scheme something of a temporary mature should be gone in for. If the community waited for State houses the arrears would never be caught up

/with. They should go in for cheaper 'houses. Mr E. C. Hutson asked if there was no private enterprise to build houses in the borough.

The chairman said there were empty houses in the country which could be removed and re-built in the town. He instanced a case where he saw three empty houses in the country, and it was a question if it would be economical to move them to Te Awamutu. The secretary (Mr K. S. Kelly), after referring to the short-term houses in Britain, said that at the conclusion of the war the position of to-day would be increased greatly. They should push for the erection of pre-fabricated, cheap houses. Mr Warburton questioned whether buildings made of plastics had a longer life. They were proof against vermin and they could be made to certain tourings. It would be interesting'to'Know what quicklyproduced material was being used in the ten-year houses. The chairman said the position was becoming desperate, and they would •have to do something to remedy the state of affairs.

Mr Warburton said the State houses were being built to too high a standard. There would always be a demand for a smaller type of cottage at a smaller rental. Mr Hutson asked why not brick houses, but it was stated that labour costs, together with the high price of brick’s, were factors against that type of house.

Mr Armstrong said the Government should give a greater margin to local, bodies in the way of cheaper money for building purposes. Mr Warburton pointed out that the Government subsidised truck importations, and that principle might well be applied to the man who wanted to build a house. Why should not private enterprise be encouraged and subsidised to offset the present-day price, which after all was the Government’s fault ? The chairman said there was a building subsidy in the depression period which had had a good effect. Mr Warburton moved that the Government adopted a principle of subsidising various supply requirements and that the time had arrived for a subsidy to be offered as a means of offsetting the present high costs to people erecting homes for their own use.

The chairman seconded the motion which was carried.

Mr Warburton further moved that the Associated Chambers of Commerce be asked to take up with the Government the question of utilisinglocal bodies in the provision of financial facilities for" people wishing to build new homes on the latest known rate of interest that applied to State lending institutions for direct loans. Mr Armstrong seconded the motion, -which was carried.