WORK IN NAPIER.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20492, 10 March 1932, Page 4

WORK IN NAPIER.

Few > Permits Required. Repairs to residences, carried out with funds provided through the Napier Relief Committee, cost £125,478, while the Public Works Department also incurred an expenditure of £9362 in reinstating houses. Very little of this work required building permits, lis such authorities were required only in cases where alterations were made; and alterations were carried out principally by owners who were in a position to finance their own plans, without applying to the Relief Committee for assistance. A competent authority considers that the duplication between the value of building permits and the value of work done through the Relief Committee was less than £SOOO, so that, in arriving at an estimate of the total valuo of building during the past twelve months, a further £120,500 may be added to the £335,230 from permits. A further £9362 spent by the Public Works Department, and the £30,000 which the reinstatement of the Chief Post Office is costing—the work being done by the Department, and therefore requiring no permit—brings the grand total to £495,092. SHELTER FOR 250,000. LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL HOUSES.

UNUSUAL ACTIVITY. TOTAL OF £495,092. Building in Napier since February of last year has known unprecedented activity. An accurate estimate of the value of work done cannot bo given, for the reason that a great deal has been of such a character that no record lias been kept of it. An example is the repair work carried out to houses without the necessity for obtaining a permit from the municipal authorities. Work for which permits have been required has a total value of £335,230 17s 9d, of which £268,752 6s 3d is accounted for by permanent construction and repair or alteration to business premises. A detailed table of building work undertaken in Napier since February 14th, 1931, when the first permit was taken out after the earthquake, is given below. The values given for permanent buildings and dwellings include alterations and repairs of a permanent character, as well as new structures: — Detailed Figures.

Ilio largest landlord in the world is the London County Council, which during the last, ten yeans has. erected houses which will comfortably accommodate 250,000 persons. The council was founded immediately after the war to clear up slum areas and provide housing to supply the demand created by an actite shortage, and its activities are reflected in clusters of little townships around the outer fringe of London. At Beacontree and Dagenham, where the new Ford automobile plant is located, the council has erected 21,352 new dwellings, which it is estimated will give shelter to 95,000 persons on the oasis of 4.46 persons to a family. At Downham the council has built 6071 houses; at Watling, 4021: St. lielier, 3458; Bellingham, 2128, and Roehainpton, 1212. The total number ol citato scheme. s ; of the group is thirty-nine, and the total expenditure council on housing to date is 183,091,855 aollaMk

PermaTemp. Dwelnent. orary. lings. Totals. £ ■ £ £ £ February — 3,133 — 5,133 March l.GOO 18,973 2,453 23,030 April 3,782 5,31 l> 1,579 10,677 May 19,287 2,0-23 4,274 25,584 June 24,609 1,010 3,088 28,708 July 7-1,710 3,512 1,759 80,011 August 18,836 296 1,731 00,884 September 55,919 858 2,334 • 59,141 October 0,351 550 4,278 11,183 November 12,789 312 2,825 15,936 December 6,GOO 262 6,862 January 4-1,174 — 3,904 48,079 2C8.750 37,896 38,489 335,250