Opposition Urges That More Houses Be Built In The Rural Areas To Relieve The Cities

Wanganui Chronicle, 13 October 1948, Page 5

Opposition Urges That More Houses Be Built In The Rural Areas To Relieve The Cities

Governing Factors Are Labour And Materials, Says Government

PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Last Night (PA).—During debate on the estimate for housing construction in the House of Representatives tonight, Opposition speakers contended that insufficient houses were being constructed in rural areas, that if more were constructed there that would help restore the balance of population—inducing more people to live in the country and so relieve congestion in big towns and cities.

Government speakers said that the rate of housing construction was governed entirely by two factors—the manpower and materials available. Mr. S W. Smith (Opp., Hobson) asked if money was still being made available at li per cent., and if some of it was being Grawn from The farmers’ pool accounts. Too many houses were unfinished for lack of fittings; yet he understood an Auckland firm recently had been refused a licence to import baths. Mr. Smith urged more help fct those building their own homes. There was too great a disparity at present between the cost of building one’s own home and the rentals of State houses, which were in effect subsidised for State tenants by the rest of the community. It was unfair under these circumstances, that a Minister of the Crown should occupy a State house when thousands of people on smaller salaries could not obtain one. Mr. C. M Bowden (Opp., Karori) said there must soon be some relaxation of controls on commercial and factory building. The backlog of construction would never be overtaken unless more workers and materials were made available. BETTER MATERIALS URGED Mr. D. C. Kidd (Opp., Waimate), urged the building of houses in more permanent materials than wood. Mr. P. Kearins (Govt., Waimarino) said the department would build ample houses in country areas if labour was available A substantial portion of expenditure on housing should be in rural towns, said Mr. W A. Sheat (Opp., Patea) He said that he knew it cost more to build in the country, but the land there cost less than In big towns and cities There was hardly a country centre in Taranaki that could not do with two or three more of these houses, and some of them with half a dozen more. If this procedure were followed generally it would have beneficial results in restoring the balance of population by bringing the people back to the countrj districts. “We have to get some of the people out of the Hutt Valley,’’ he said. The acting Prime Minister (Mr. Nash) said that quite justifiable representations could be made lor the erection of more houses in rural areas, but it was just as well to take stock of what had already been done. The Government had provided funds at three per cent, to enable county councils to erect'houses and 400 had. been erected under this arrangement. Thirty-nine houses had also been built under the Counties Act, and 12 had been erected on the application of dairy companies. In 1944 there were built under the emergency arrangement 101 two-bedroomed houses and 53 three-bedroomed houses The twobedroomed houses cost £1250 each and were sold to farmers for £750, so that each purchaser received a subsidy of £SOO. The three-bearoomed houses cost £I4BO each, and were sold for £9BO. The reason was that an undertaking had been given by the Government to provide houses at the prices at which they were sold, but when tenders for them came in they were much higher. In all 1076 houses had been built and 1738 State rental houses built in smaller rural areas. Mr. Smith: How many houses have been built in the Hutt? Mr. Nash replied that none was being erected in his electorate. Many had been erected there, but those going up now wore being built on vacant land outside his electorate. Unfortunately, no more State houses could be erected in his electorate because their was no land on which to put them. Mr. Nash, after explaining how the funds in the meat industry accounts were invested in Treasury bills and Government inscribed stock, said that it had been inferred that the Government was taking stabilisation monies to build houses. Would it be suggested that the money should be kept idle? Mr. E. P. Aderman (Opp., New Plymouth) stressed the need for more houses suitable for the requirements of large families. He said it was astonishing how few State houses were built for large families. He also hoped that more houses would he made available for old-age, pensioners. Mr. D. W. Coleman (Govt., Gisborne), Under-Secretary for Housing, said the reason why more houses were not built in rural areas was because of the ditliculty of getting builders to take those contracts. The Housing Department was ready and willing to builcl more houses in rural areas if it could get the builders. M. J. T. Watts (Opp., St. Albansr said there was an over-building of State houses in the Hutt and a better purpose would have been served if they had been spread over the whole of Nevy Zealand. He considered that the Government should provide private enterprise with the opportunity cf occupying shops in the larger State nouse areas. The Minister of Works (Mr. Semple) said the number of shops it was proposed to build would be sufficient to cope with the needs of the people in the area. Mr. K. J. Holyoake (Opp., Pahiatua) said rural people contributed through taxation to the Stale housing scheme and should share proportionately in its benefits. The Government had built only 160 houses on farms and 1700 in rural centres. Some houses for which application was made in 1944 under the emergency scheme had not been built yet. Tlie State housing scheme was an outstanding example of discrimination by the Government against a section of the community. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Opp., Waitomo) asked the Minister ol Housing

to put himself in the position of a mother of eleven who— Mr. W. H. Gillespie (Opp., Hurunui): Will he wear a fur coat while he operates the washing machine? The Chairman of Committees (Mr. Carr) cautioned members against levity, but Mr. Broadfoot said he was pleading the case of a family oi eleven in Waitara for whom he hac been vainly trying for months to obtain a State house. What would the Minister do about It? Mr. Broadfoot moved a reduction in the vote by £5 as an indication thai it was considered private traders should be allowed to operate in State housing areas which were now being kept as monopolies for co-operative stores. The Minister of Lands (Mr. Skinner) said throughout the country far more contracts had been offered lor rural housing than contractors coulc be found for. It had been suggestec by Mr. Kidd that more brick houses snould be built, but every available brick was being used In housing, an: other vital materials were being similarly absorbed to the limit of production. Mr Skinner said the cost oi housing was less than Opposition members implied. Last week 12 houses were advertised for sale in one day in a Christchurch newspaper al. available for immediate possession, and none of them priced above £2300. Mr. G. F. Sim (Opp., Waikato) sail the Government was building Stathouses in cities and towns for poli tical purposes. Mr. F. Langstone (Govt., Roskill), said that during the discussion bi had never heard so much rant, cant and humbug. Mr. Gillespie: We will hear some now. Mr. Langstone said houses were being built where necessary. There wen no carpenters who were unfcmployei and not<i piece of material availabh which w£s not being used. Mr. Semple said he would like to know of a country where the people were fully and comfortably housed. “There is not a land tinder God’.; blue skies where the people are ade quately housed,” he said. Mr. R. G. Gerard (Opp., Ashburton): Sweden. Mr. Semple: Sweden has done ; good job, but has not complete!' noused her people. ■ The Minister of Internal Affair (Mr. Parry): And she was neutral. Mr. Semple said the war had exaggerated the housing problem. “We did what we could during tht war period, but we have had sevei years of stagnation so far as buildin; is concerned,” he said. “We can’t d< anything more in any undertakin; , without adequate material and man , power.” MARAETAI TOWNSHIP. Mr. Semple said the Governmfcn had built a township at Maraetai a ; a cost of £1,800,000, comprising 60' married men's homes, and 850 single men's quarters, as well as othe amenities which would serve 400' people. ‘*Wc have passed the day when we could throw a tent at a workman and say, ‘rig it yourself,’” he said. Homes were to be built at Lake <\ikaki and Tekapo to house 300 f people and a township would have t< be built large enough for 5000 peopk lor the Roxburgh power scheme “Otherwise there wont be an; scheme,’’ Mr. Semple said. The Minister said that the building of these housing schemes reliever pressure on the demand for home in the cities and towns. He was no. suggesting that the Government hat built enough houses in rural areas where more were wanted, but progress in that direction was governed, by two factors—the manpower ant materials available. “We are doing the best we can.' continued Mr. Semple. "I don’t knov how we can build more, or do more than we are doing at the moment on account of limitations so far as manpower and materials are concerned. I am wondering about the steel supply. Australia is in a bad way." He agreed that a brick or concreu house was better than one built ol timber, but we were limited so far as cement was concerned, and we were facing a problem there. The tunnel |at Tekapo had been pierced and a bullseye scored. That would mean that demands for cement would be greater now and 20 times as much as I had been used in the last few years I would be required to build dams am’ penstocks- In the first six months of •this” year 500 more houses had been , built than at the same time last year, and he believed the target of 12,000 homes this year would be reached. Mr. R. M. Algic (Opp.. Remuera' said the speeches from the Minister of Lands and the Minister of Works would give cold comfort to thousands of people in the country. There was no harm in telling the people the ac|tual truth of the situation, but when lit was expressed in terms which were

; boastful, then they would give cold 'comfort. He considered the speeches were “a couple of first-class cornet solos.” The boasting ought io stop. He knew of a married couple in Remuera who lived in a tent for three years and twice it had blown down on them. Their application for a State house had I been presented much longer than • three years and yet their case was not considered urgent enough for a State house, but a Minister of the Crown got one easi y enough. Mr A- E. Armstrong (Govt.. Napier' said local bodies in Auckland could obtain money to make shacks and homes habitable. After further discussion a division was taken and the amendment wai post by 29 votes to 32. • The vote was passed.