TEMPORARY HOUSES

Chronicle (Levin), 17 July 1946, Page 5

TEMPORARY HOUSES

— Press Association

LARGE SCHEME NEEDED

Bv Telearavh-

CHRISTCHURCH, July 16. The conviction that only a large seale scliemo to build temporary liouses vvitli Ihe limited materials now available,i would have any deeisive eflTect. in overtaking the shortage pf homes in the, next few vears, was oxpressed today by Alr. G. D. Grifliths, ehairman of the housing committee of the Christchurch City Counc.il. II 0 doubted whether present State,private and local body construction was doing mueh more than "touching the fringe of the problem." TTe advocated lmilding liouses with showers instead of baths, wood lining instead of plaster, two bedrooms at the most, pinus insignis inside and out, and with their life dcfinitcly limited to ten voars. ] Alr. Grifliths, who is an arehiteet, said such liouses could be built for 1 it tio more than £500 each as against i the £1500 or £1600 of the minimum normal house, and without delays occasioned by shortage of critical building materials. Bold action xyas required to meet the (lesperately urgent need of the moment. Once that urgent nee.d had been met, attention could be given to lmilding tlie permanent homes which would be needed in eight to ten vears to replace the temporary buildings. Such a schjeme, said Mr. Griffltlis, was too large to be undertaken by local bodies. ft sliould be a national scheme carried out by tlie Government.