HOUSING PROBLEM

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 35, 9 October 1946, Page 8

HOUSING PROBLEM

PURCHASE OF SITES

MR W. SULLIVAN’S QUESTIONS

Housing construction was discussed by Mr W. Sullivan (National, Bay of Plenty) when the Estimates were being considered by the House of Representatives. Pie said £1,400,000 was being allocated for the purchase of suitable properties to subdivide for housing sites, but many of the sites acquired had not yet been built on. Some of the sections in State housing areas should be mado available to people' who wished to build their own houses. That-would break the continuity of the State housing design. The Minister of Works (Mr R. Sfemple): “I made a statement a fortnight ago that anyone wishing to build his own home may purchase one of these sections after they have been serviced and roaded, but no one will be allowed to trade in them.” Mr Sullivan said that in some of the smaller towns individual sections were being purchased for State houses, thus making it more difficult for the ordinary citizen to acquire a section. At present, it was not profitable for a property owner to subdivide land and go to the expense of roading and kerbing and channelling the land, so it was bad policy for the Government to buy up too many of the available sections.

Mr Semple: “We have stopped doing it.” , - Mr Sullivan said* that, while State housing was treated almost as priority number one, people were not allowed to put up business premises. Mr Semple: “Seventy-five per cent, of the building is houses.” Mr Sullivan remarked that he did not know how many houses the Government intended to provide during the current year.

Mr Semple: “Last year the total of private homes, homes built with State advances, and State houses built was 9000. That is 1000 more than were ever built in one year before. This year we propose to reach 4000.”