CO-OPERATIVE HOUSING

Chronicle (Levin), 23 March 1946, Page 4

CO-OPERATIVE HOUSING

N.Z E.F. ASSOCIATION'S PLANS Waikato meniujrs o/ the 2nd. JM.Z. E.F. Association are giving time and tnouglit and sno.ffng mticn energy in conn jction witn tke housing proDfem — regarded rigntly *by them as the most important part of rehabilitation. . Among other things they are inv.estigating the possioiiities of cooperative action through tthe formatiou of a coop^rative huilding company on • ' ao it ourselves'- ' lines. | In a report in the "Kiwi Kelay," : live little journai of the Hamilton f brancn, Waikato Kiwis have the folloving to say: "It" would seem on the evidence, that until more materials are pi'oduced, in particulax tiniber, that many chaps will hot be housed until they are tlose to drav/ing superannuatxOn or sociai security benefit. "If a Kiwi's decision is to huild his own home througu rehabilitation loan, the cost of doin^ tnis is a great dete'rrent. BUILDING COSTS. "In a. copy oi a recent huilding journai there' was a very illuminating tahle showing the cosj of building an average houss. Three standard piahs were shown, averaging a iloor area of 1000 s.iuare feet, au^. at 32/- per square foot, tne total cost amoiinctd to fiibOO, and for eac.i addiLonai 1/on the building cosu per foot, xod would be added to the total cost. These additions in cost would he mcurred principaily. by extra work under the floor joists in the fouhdations, and for materials Ksuch as brick instead of wood, eic. Each plan allowed for two bedrooms.° "Let us summar.se the final amount needed to start a Kiwi on housekeeping:

WEEKLY REPAYMENTS. There will not ' be very many who will have £540 in cash amongst our ranks, so it would he fair to assume that £200 wiil be on time payment and the £100 furniture loan will be made use of. The weekly payments that will have to be met, roughly are as follows:

Kepayment of furniture other than free cf interesc loan at 10 per cent. interest and principle over two years, £2 per week. So for the first two years there will ! be an average weekly commitment of i of £4 7s. To- own some of the land that they have recently fought for, is going to be fairly expensive, and when the time comss aiong that young Kiwis are to be raised and educated, etc., it will be even more difficult. TWO LINES OF ATTACK. It would appear tbut there are two main lines of attack on the housing question in general. Firstly, the cosc of huilding a home will have 'to be brought down, and secondly, more houses for rental purposes will have to he built, and let, at a price the returned man can afford to pay. Eegarding the first, the Hamilton ' branch has been inv.estigating the possibilities of a cooperative building company, to specialise in building returned men's hoznes, and to be comPosed of returned men. This, would cover all branches of the trade. It has been estimated by those compefcent to judge, that £200 could be shved in this manngr, on a home costing, say £1800. "The Association is to organise meetings of Kiwis all over the country, to put on record their determ.nation to secure the haus.ng cond.tions that they are entitled to.

X, s. u. Cost of section — (average urban area) 150 0 0 Building— (at 32/- per foot) 1600 0 0 Legal exes., stamp duty, etc. 40 0 0 Furnishings, blinds, etc. 250 0 0Total £2040 0 0 .

£ s. d. Housing loan repayments rnents . and interest (30 year term) 1 10 0 Free of interest loan 10 0 Rates (at £5 per annum) 2 0 Fainting (materials only once each 3 years) 5 0 £2 7 0