BOROUGH HOUSING SCHEME

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23318, 29 September 1945, Page 4

BOROUGH HOUSING SCHEME

Ei'-.n:•ers’ Associalion To Tender Completion Within Six Months Tlic 5'J houses which the Borough Council proposes to build from tinker from Army huts will be tendered for by the South Canterbury Builders’ Association, according to a decision made at a meeting of the Association on Thursday evening. It is expected that the job will be completed within six months of the letting of the contract.

'Hie Council had asxed tne Association to a meciing io mscuss me matter, anu uau cmpiia-uea mac tne seneme was omy an expedient to provide nomes *o» returned soldiers wno would have iirst preference, said me president oi me Association (Mr W. a. Petrie). Aitliougii me Association aid not approve me erection of what might be iiunsy awelungs, it realised mat the Council was enueavourmg to alleviate the present shortage oi housing in the only practicable way. said Mr Petrie. The Houses would serve tneir purpose as long as ownersnip was vested m tne Council. Tne problem of housing age benenciaries would in the future be partially solved oy renting these houses to them when other and more substantial accommodation could be found lor returned men. If the Association's tender for the houses was acceptable to the Council, each of the bunders wouid construct one, two or more units according to his capacity. As far as could be judged at present the job would be completed within six months. Tne building of these houses was a worn of urgency, said the deputyMayor (Mr C. E. Thomson) yesterday, rne Council naa been alive to the tact that the position would be aggravated as men returned from overseas. Sufficient wood from Army huts had been procured to build 50 houses, two of which were nearing completion. The first nouse had been constructed from the timber of six huts, but since then additional wood had become available and this would enable the remainder of the houses to be built on a more roomy scale. The building of these dwellings was an emergency measure, although throughout tliwr period of usefulness they would be .ittractive homes. According to expert opinion the dwellings would be atti active, durable and comfortable for small families. Main Scheme

The main housing scheme of the Council, said Mr Thomson, provided for the building of about 70 brick houses, Which would be for sale. The building sites for these at College Road and the west end of Wai-iti Road provided sunny sections on attractive elevations. At College Road, where 32 houses would be built, a road would be formed in a direction north and south. The Council had purchased a bulldozer, which was to have arrived last March, and when it became available the formation of the road would be started. On the Wai-iti Road site the new road was three parts completed. It was formed in an S bend from Olaway Park to Edgm ton’s property on Otipua Road. The sections there were ideal, and all the houses would have a maximum of sunshine. At present the Mayor (Mr A. E. S. Hanan), and the Town Clerk (Mr .1 M. Jenkins), were in Wellington negotiating for a further housing loan of £lOO,OOO, making a total of £200,000, which the Council would spend on its housing scheme in Timaru.