HOUSING EX-SERVICEMEN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 23, 13 November 1945, Page 6

HOUSING EX-SERVICEMEN

PROBLEM DISCUSSED

'REHABILITATION AID

The housing situation as regards ex-servicemen is discussed in a statement issued by the Rehabilitation Board. Until September 30 says the statement 48G0 ex-servicemen had

been assisted by way of loan authorisations either to build new houses or buy existing dwellings.?£n addition there had been 1014 who had been allocated State rental houses or flats under the 50 per cent, preference arrangement. To tins had to be added 1200 men settled, on single unit farm where houses were making a grand total of 10 074 ex-servicemen and Avomen who had received some form of direct housing assistance..

On the other hand, there were at that date 8127 returned servicemen applications waiting for State houses while civilian applicants numbered no fewer than 33 771. a substantial dumber of whom were in the lirst priority class in regard to urgency. "With approximately 50 000 men still to return there would seem to be an intensity rather than an casing ol' the problem in the immediate future" continues the statement. "For instance during September there were 348 new applications for State rental houses from ex-servicemen while 17G—or about half of that number—were allocated in that month. However, many of the. men yet to return are of older age groups and had homes before they left New Zealand and in most '5 cases will be returning to them.

"Nevertheless, tile only answer to the problem is more and still more houses. the Board is helping to achieve by training ex-servieemett as building tradesmen and encouraging others to undertake work connected with materials for housing— such as sawmilling and bushwor'k.

"Property owners contemplating the sale of their properties can also help materially by selling to exservicemen where the house is suit-: able for rehabilitation purposes. Would-be vendors must ? however be able to assure vacant possession."

The .statement ■concludes- by giving the latest figures (as at September 30) for tlie district allocations to ex-servicemen of s State rental bouses and Hats. These are, September figures in parentheses: Auckland 1195 (ill); Hamilton 302 (13); Napier 199 (3); New Plymouth 110 (2); Wellington 1395 (8(5); Nelson 76 (2); Christ-church 410 (11); Dunedin 23G (2); Tnvercargill 88 (6); total 4014 (176),