WHO SHOULD HAVE STATE HOUSES?

Chronicle (Levin), 4 July 1946, Page 7

WHO SHOULD HAVE STATE HOUSES?

— Press Association

By Telegraph

WELLINGTON, Juty 6. . Ih the llouse today, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, replying to Mr. A. S. Sutlierland (Hauraki), said tliero was no rigid limitation of 50 {>er cent. ip the allocation of State houses to ex-servicemen and wherc circumstances justiiied it, a liiglier percentage was allocated) Tliis had been done on many occasions and would continue to be the Government policy. Mr. Suthcrlund said Mr. Sullivan 's reply was not very satisfactory. The Prime Klinister had promised, in reply to a similar question in 1945, that he eould see uo diflieulty in increasiug the allocation of houses to ex-servicemen to 75 per cent. The position was now more aeute. He knew of cases of exservicemen and tlieir wives and families living in caravans and lie knew of civilians who had not lifted a finger (luring the war period, who were getting State houses. He also knew of an airman who was told six months ago he was second on the Iist for a house and now he was twenty-fourth. Hc said the reason wliy the allocation had not been incrcascd was because the Federation of Labour had said civilians were not getting a big enough allocation. Klr. T. II. McCombs (Lyttelton) said there were many more civilians than ex-servicemen who were in dire need of State houses. Many civilians had been waiti ng sinee 1940 for a State house, wliile the average time exservicemen liad waited was 18 months. Ilo said tliere was no rigid limitation of the allocation to 50 per cent. * Major C. F. Skinner said the question of increasiug the allocation to ex servicenien had been considered on many occasions. At present the allocations were made on tlie basis of the relative need of tne applicants. He would like to see ex-servicemen reeeive all tlie houses being built but it was inipossible to ignorc the claims of civilians." There were thousands of civilians in greater need than ex-ser-vicemen.