CONCRETE HOUSES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16455, 6 June 1919, Page 3

CONCRETE HOUSES.

INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS

Per Press Association WELLINGTON, Juno 5. Tho secretary of tho Labour Department, Mr. Rowley, stated before the Parliamentary Industries Committee to-day that tho Department was investigating the question of erecting concrete houses, and for that purpose was appointing a special committee of three experts to report upon the different systems in vogue, preparatory to proceeding with the erection of an additional 200 workmen’s homes. The reports from experts showed that concrete houses cost about 10 per cent more to erect than wooden. > The Department had discussed tho question of purchasing the necessary plant and erecting workers’ homes itself, but had come to no decision. Standardisation was undoubtedly much cheaper. Ho was now in a position to say that, on the whole of the houses erected to date, the arrears in the payment of instalments, allowing three weeks’ _ grace, only amounted to 7s 7d per house per annum. Only 200 additional homos were proposed at present, because sufficient labour to build more was not available. Tire Department preferred to build housels for purchase (rather than to rent, because purchasers were so much more satisfactory, 1