BUILDING OF HOUSES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 38, 9 January 1945, Page 4

BUILDING OF HOUSES

THE magnitude of the United Kingdom's housing and rebuilding problem can be readily unde/stooci when it is mentioned that the state, through its local authorities, has undertaken to build 300,000 permanent houses in the first tco years after the war, besides constructing tempos ary houses and adapting existing buildings. So that there will be n£> unnecessary boom in the value of land required for this purpose, no landlord is to be paid a higher price than that ruling in 1939. This programme will not bring about the solution of the difficulty—far from it—for it represents merely an interim plan to enable the Government to prepare: for its much greater better-housing schemes which are now under consideration. But, large as it is, British re-housing is only one portion of the gigantic problem which will confront European nationals after the war. It is estimated that one; in every five houses in Britain were destroyed by the German blitz during 1940-41. But Germany has now been suffering far heavier bomb damage for months, while the occupied countries were devastated, by the conquering Germans and have since then been subjected to consistent and helivy raids by United Nations air xor ces Then other vast stretches of Europe, Russia and Italy for'examples, have been fought over, towns and cities destroyed, yet the war in Europe is far from over. A little reflection along these lines will give anyone, a faint idea ol one facet of the appalling reconstruction task which will face Europe after the war, not only to provide houses, but in the rebuilding of bridges, harbours, railways anfl other public services.