HOUSING IN LEVIN

Chronicle (Levin), 27 June 1946, Page 4

HOUSING IN LEVIN

Shortage of Materials MAYOR'S FURTHER 3TATIMPT "My attention has been drawn , Ho three letters from arip.nympqs correspondents in yesterday's - 'Chronicle/ .cptipising me fpr my action in connection with the securing of certain supplies of building material," said the Mayor (Mr, H, B. Burdekin) tpdq^y. "Whilst realise ' that any person in public life js necessarily subject to criticism> und must be prepared to take it, at the same time I am sure your correspondents would not have been qiiite so critical had they beeri aware of the full facts before they wrote, as it is evident from the critiqism that they are not fully apawuinted with the position. For their benefit, and for tjie benp^t of your readers, I think that' it is best for me to make a short statement of the facts." "Most of the crit'icism seems to be directed towards my failure to take adequate steps to secure 'priority for returned servicemen, and for supplies being sought for municipal buildings," added His Worship. "Regarding the suggestion by your correspondents that I have supported the interests of municipal buildings and State houses to the detriment of individuals who have not been able to get their homes erected, I would say that to my certain knowledge many private residences in Levin have been commenced and finished durihg the period that the State houses have been in the course of -erection,' and I am. strongly of tl}e ' opinion that in the main private enterprise has had priority in sup- | plies over either State houses or municipal buildings. That fact can |be verified very easily by your correspondents, if indeed it is not already known to them. In endeayouring to secure supplies to enble the eight State houses in Chamberlain Street to be advanced a furTher stage, I was actuated largely in the interests of those who -are not able, for various reasons, to build a house for themselves, and must of necessity become tenants, and I believe that their interests are.of equal importance with those who desire homes of their own more particularly as at least 50 per cent. of these State houses will go to returned - service personnel, of whom there are some 30 at the moment waiting for State rental houses. "Similarly with the supply of cement for the foundations of the eight State houses that are to be built in Lincoln Place. These contracts were, I am informed, let last October, and have not yet been commenced-. Again I would say that a number of private residences : have been commenced and fipished j in this period of eight monthg, and 1 1 considered it my duty to take steps to see that something was done to get these houses under way, - so that once again returned ser- ! vicemen could get homes. In the • letter of one of your correspondents there was an. insinuatiqn that, eer- ! tain reasons that were not stated, j but which it was h'inted were well • known in Levin, had caused the I hold-up of the State houses in Chamberlain Street, but I would like to make it clear that as far as jl am aware it has not been the j failure of the contractors that these i houses have been held up. First of j all it was th'e delay in the securing | of rooflng, and since then it has ! been generally a matter of being j direced on urgent rural housing of first priority, over which of course they had no control, and latterly it has been the hold-up. with regard to the fibrous plaster. I think it oply fair to make this statement to clear the air regarding the insinuations. Similarly, I understand that the contractors for the eight houses; in Lincoln Place have been on first priority work elsewhere, although recently the troubl'e has been shortage of cement. . "Now, regarding the municipal buildings^ which are ,a ladies' copvenience and a borough residence, which the engineer will occupy. The matter of the ladies' convenience is of absolute urgency for the convenience of not only the local residents, but for the travelling public, and was part of an arrangement entered into at the time when the permanent bus stop was arranged with the bus companies operating through Levin. ' I know of no other town of this size where conveniences are not available. "When the borough engineer was appointed, he accepted office on a distinct undertaking that the council would provide a house which would be available for him within three months of him taking up his duties, and he left another position to come here on that condition. As "the' head of the council I deem it my duty to take all reasonable steps to see that this undertaking is carried out, and after a lapse of some. six months I think that I would have been failing in my duty if I did not take steps to impleipent the coupcil's undertaking. It is not that the borough engineer as an individual received any priority, • and there is every indication that it will be the best part of 12 iponths, after he has taken up his residence in Levin before he is in his house, and can have his family here. If anything, his position is worse than that of a. very large number of private individuals, whose houses have been completed quite within a reasonable time after the cqntract had been let. It was nqt possible fqr him personally tq make such. representations. and I was* naturally the channel through which representations would be made. "I shall continue to do whai I can during the remainder' of my

period of office for what I deem to be the benefit of the community generally, and returned servipemen in particular." t