THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18016, 3 November 1920, Page 6

THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS AT A SOLUTION. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 2. In order to facilitate the w'ork of the housing branch of the Labour ■ Department, the Government has ! chartered three sailing vessels for i the carriage of timber from the . West Coast and from the far North. ■ The vessels will carry timber to • Wellington and other ports close to 1 where houses are being erected. A I Government timber yard, in charge lof an expert, has been established I at Miramar, where the timber will j be classed and stacked, and whence lit will be distributed to various ; jobs as required. The housing branch has organised its forces as far as the supply of timber is concerned and now that transport facilities have been arranged, the work of the construction of houses is expected to go ahead steadily. This week several shipments of timber will be arriving from the West Coast, and north of Auckland, and the vessels will proceed to Miramar wharf direct to discharge. The difficulty in obtaining adequate supplies of cement is interfering with the progress of work on concrete houses that are being erected at Miramar. It is stated that the shortage is due partly to the fact that insufficient bags are available lor bagging cement on arrival in Wellington. So acute has been the cement shortage that contractors have not been able to make arrangements for even a couple of days ahead; but it is anticipated that the ; trouble will be alleviated somewhat Iby utilising one of the chartered vessels for running occasional trips between Golden Bay and Miramar with cement cargoes.