STATE HOUSES

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22150, 23 September 1943, Page 2

STATE HOUSES

DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PLANS Warrant-Officer A. E. Allen, the Democratic Labour Party candidate for the Hamilton seat, speaking at Hamilton East, was scathing in his criticism of the Government’s housing policy, and quoted instances of large families living in houses far too small for their reasonable living requirements, while political offices were erected for Government departments. He said his Party would clear all the slums from New Zealand’s towns and cities, and provide homes all over the country for ocouDation at the annual rate of £4O for a £IOOO building. The cost would be met by issuing credit at li per cent, plus a sinking fund of 2j per cent. This could easily be done, according to economists, if the Government had control of credit and currency. Thus a £IOOO home would cost slightly more than 15s a week. The present Government was selecting tenants for its State houses according to their estimated ability to pay the rents, and not on their family needs. “And this, after all the noisy assurances the people most needing homes would get them,” said Mr Allen. LUCKIEST GOVERNMENT “The New Zealand Labour Government is the luckiest Government in the world. The rise in prices synchronised with Labour’s coming to power, and just when they had got into a muddle and did not know which way to turn the war began,” said Mr W. S. Goosman, National candidate for Waikato, in an election address.