National Party's Housing Plans

Waikato Independent, Volume XLIII, Issue 6036, 23 October 1946, Page 5

National Party's Housing Plans

EXPANSION OF FARMING INDUSTRIES LEADER OPENS CAMPAIGN The policy which the National Party will put into effect if elected as the Government was .outlined by the Leader of the Party. Mr S. G. Holland, when he opened his election campaign at the Civic Theatre, Christchurch, on Monday night. Addressing a crowded and enthusiastic meeting, Mr Holland devoted much attention to the need for increasing production and said a sharefarming scheme would be introduced to help settlers without capital to establish themselves.

Dealing with New Zealand industries which he said would be adequately protected provided they.were giving efficient service, he described in detail the proposal to set up a Board of Trade to determine the degree of protection that should be given. He announced his party's plans for maintaining full employment in the event of a recession of prices. Housing plans, industrial relationships, profitsharing and steps that would be taken to avoid penalising thrifty and industrious people were other matters discussed by Mr Holland in a speech that covered a wide range of subjects. The National Party held that to maintain the purchasing power of people's incomes there must be a balance between money and goods. To maintain primary production and factory output there must be a balance between town and coimtry, and to maintain hospital and other social services there must be a balance between such occupations and industrial employment.

A higher standard of living could only come from the people's own efforts. No Government could give to the people what it had not first taken from the people. They were only fooling themselves if they thought they could produce less and have more, while the theory that the printing press was a substitute for production was the road to ultimate disaster. To maintain a stable price level the National Party would set up a non-political currency and credit commission. Sound finance must be divorced from political expediency. The Housing Problem. Dealing with housing he said the first instinct of every man was to provide a home for his family. 'The, National Party could not reconcile its belief in individual freedom with anyj procedure which denied to the mass of the people the right to own their own homes. Not everyone wished xo \ own their own home, but he believed the majority did so. The National Party's housing slogan was "Own your own," and its objective for homeowners was a "debt-free house at 60." State tenants who wished to buy | their homes would be given the oppor- j tunity of doing so at no increase in the present rental. A deposit equivalent to two years' rent would be required, but 20 per cent, of the rent already paid would be credited towards the deposit. Under the present scheme a tenant paying 30s a week for a State house would have paid, in 40 years, £3,120 in rent, and would be no nearer owning it than at the beginning. Under the National Party's scheme, every weekly payment would increase the owner's equity in his house, and at the end of 40 years, or at the end of 30 years in cases where insurance, maintenance and rates were paid by the owner, the house would be free of debt. It would also be possible for State tenants wishing to buy their own homes to arrange their own finance and make a straight-out purchase, but he emphasised that in no case would a tenancy be disturbed if the present occupant did not wish to purchase. Building Costs Tco High.

Mr Holland said it was essential to. reduce building costs and the National Party believed "it could do so within three years. In the meantime it was fair that the extra costs of house-building caused by the present artificial conditions should be spread over the whole of the community in the same way as was done with other stabilised costs. It was therefore proposed that, to encourage private building, a free of interest suspensory loan of £IOO for civilians and £2OO for ex-servicemen would be granted on all houses built in the next three years for occupation by the owner, and not exceeding in value £1750. After occupation by the owner for five years the loans would be cancelled. ' Houses built under these schemes could not be sold within 10 years without first being offered to the State.

A mortgage insurance scheme was also proposed, providing for a small weekly premium of about l/4d. per week, in return for which, should the breadwinner in the family die, the mortgage would be extinguished and the home left free of debt. It was also proposed to encourage the use of interlocking concrete blocks for housebuilding by teaching men how to make a suitable type of concrete interlocking block, and hiring out the necessary equipment to those willing to do the work for themselves.

To safeguard the welfare of women and children the National Party subscribed to the principle of full employment and a guaranteed family in-

come. There would be a special division of the Social Security Department to look after the interests cf women and children, and steps would be taken to reduce the price of domestic appliances which made housework easier. Share-farming Scheme. On account of New Zealand's lack of many of the raw materials for industry, expansion of the primary industries was of vital importance. A share-farming scheme would be inaugurated, which would enable capable and experienced men to obtain farms of their own without initial capital. The State would provide the capital to bring the farm to the productive stage, and also the live and dead stock, and the settler would provide the labour. There was need for a Government that understood farming.and instead of being antagonistic to farmers would- be helpful and co-operative. Country life, instead of being made more expensive and difficult, must be made more attractive. The National Party would provide up to 90 per cent, of the necessary finance to enable farm-workers and sharemilkers to set up on their own, and would assist ! farmers in purchasing modern farm 1 equipment for use on a co-operative , basis.

Discussing transport, Mr Holland said it was obvious that the coal shortage would continue. Alternative fuels for the railways would have to be employed and motor transport would be extensively used to supplement the railway system.

There would be a complete revision of motor taxation and the greatest proportion of it would be spent on the roads. Highways and bridges had deteriorated and it would be necessary to concentrate for several years on the more urgent works. The critical hydro-electricity position would be given urgent attention and an expert mission would be sent abroad in quest of auxiliary plant, especially large sets using oil fuel.