THE HOUSE SHORTAGE.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17119, 14 April 1921, Page 6

THE HOUSE SHORTAGE.

GOVERNMENT'S BUILDING SCHEME. (special to "the press.") WELLINGTON, April 13. A return prepared by the Housing Department shows that, since the inception of the Government's housebuilding scheme 1011 houses have been authorised, 332 have been contracted for, 78 have been completed, and 50 are now nearing completion. The figures for some of the four centres are as follows: Con- CornAuthor- tracts. Com- pletlsed. let. pleted. ing. Wellington 300 152 48 lo Auckland , 150 15 5 4 Christchurch 86 86 3 6 Duuedin 50 -1, .1 0 .Napier 30 12 22 During the woek ended April 4th, four'houses were completed, three in Wellington and one in New Plymouth. The operations of the Housing Department, it should be understood, are distinct from the workers' dwellings and advances to workers schemes. The Minister of Labour lately has been encouraging the building of homes under the advances • scheme, and something has been done' in this direction to relieve the housing shortage." The Hon. G. J. Anderson mentioned to a reporter that he was taking steps, to hasten the work of the Housing Department. He recognised that many difficulties had been encountered in the inception of the scheme, but he desired that the output of completed houses. should be materially increased.