TRANSIT HOUSING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 73, Issue 6284, 18 September 1946, Page 6

TRANSIT HOUSING

BOROUGH COUNCIL FURTHERS ARRANGEMENTS FINANCE APPLIED FOR In a report to Te Awamutu Borough Council on Monday evening the sub-committee detailed the progress of transit housing arrangements. On 4th September the Commjissioner of Works had advised that buildings sufficient to provide fifty dwellings in Te Awamutu had been reserved from The Narrows (Rukuhia) Air Station. The schedule provided for the allotment of two mess buildings which would provide three flats ; in each buildhig. Other buildings ranged from a floor space of 600 to 1200 square feet in each, with, also, sixtysix hutments. A good deal of correspondence had taken place regarding dismantling and shifting, and arrangements in other directions were in progress. The committee, in consultation with the Builders’ Association, was arranging necessary details for the major work to be undertaken as soon as possible. Meanwhile, negotiations were in progress with the Public WJorks Department for the assessment of demolition and transportation costs. The Mayor explained the proposed ■location and the allotment of the buildings to endowment .lands, includang the Roche Street and Brady Street reserve, the sale yards extension, and the unused cemetery reserve in Tawhiao Street. The use of the sale yards extension block would require an extension of Churchill Street, and this in turn involved the acquirement of a small strip of back land from an adjoining owner. On this point a direction from the Council was awaited. Similarly some levelling would have to be done, and on this the authority of the Council was needed before the work could proceed. Cr Woodward thought the best procedure would be for the Council to set up a committee to deal with all details as questions arose. It would be tedious to await fortnightly meetings of the full Council. As an immediate step it. was moved by the Mayor that application be made to the Local Bodies’ Loans Board for consent to raise a loan of £lB,OOO for transit housing. This was seconded by Cr De Coek and carried. A committee was set up to comprise the Mayor, the chairman of the works committee (Cr Roberts), and the chairman of the finance committee (Cr De Coek), with Messrs G. Fayne (Builders’ Association) and A. G. Warburton (Rehabilitation Committee) co-opted. To a question, Mr Fayne said the first step must be now a conference with the Public Works Department to conclude the terms for dismantling and transport. The next immediate need would be competent labour, and in this respect arrangements were now being pushed forward. Dealing with the question of site preparation, it was decided to await survey details. The foreman advised that the surveyor would plot the levels within the next day. A special meeting of the Council is to be held on Thursday morning to inspect the property and the survey recommendations. Cr Woodward suggested that a lot of useful labour would be forthcoming on Saturdays if an appeal were made to help hasten the houses to completion. There were many homeseekers and many residents who would willingly co-operate in aiding to alleviate the distress of the housing shortage. When the work was organised it would be opportune to make an appeal. Mr Fayne remarked that his contacts enabled him. to judge the urgency of the housing need. There would be a response if the Council asked for assistance in speeding this most necessary and urgent work to finality. The Mayor remarked that up to the present time all preparatory negotiation and planning had been voluntarily done; but now it became necessary for more constant effort to take out quantity schedules and to re-design and re-appoint the buildings. Cr Roberts considered the most necessary step was to so arrange that one man would take charge of the whole organisation. The best rearrangement of the buildings, the provision of appointments, and the organisation of the work must proceed from the one practical man. To a question, Mr Fayne said the Builders’ Association would be best qualified to advise the Council on the best method of doing what was contemplated for the general arrangement and supervision of the work. It was suggested that the Council await a recommendation from the Builders’ Association, but the view was expressed by some councillors that the Council should make an appointment at once. It was finally decided to ask the Builders’ Association to make a recommendation so that the Council could appoint an organising foreman.