DOMINION NEEDS 25,000 MORE HOUSES

Chronicle (Levin), 12 September 1946, Page 5

DOMINION NEEDS 25,000 MORE HOUSES

— Press Associatian

By Telegraph-

WELLTXGTOX, Sejit. 11. Information reeeived by ihe Alinistry of Works indieates tliat 25,00(1 mor houses are needed than are available at present, states the annual report of the .Ministry, presented in the House of Represent atives yesterday. The rejiort continues that it is con sidered that over the next 15 voars a further 40,000 houses in the. cities anu borouglis alone will require rejilace ment, this figure being based on a lit.Vi survey. Adding 95,000 houses to accommodate the population inerease estimated to oceur by 19(i0, includiiig a suitable allowanee immigration. a total of 100,000 houses is required ovev the next 15 years, wliieh miglit be increased to 180.000 if a policv of im-

proved liousing for rural, mining and sawmilling industries is juit into cffect. This would neeessitate building nt leasf 12,000 houses a year over the whole of this period, says the report. rt it were possilile for this number'to Iie exceeded for a few years and later tapered off slightlv as cin-umstances permitted, this would conform to Ihe needs of the, Dominion as they are seen at prese-nt. The figuros reeeived 1 by the Afinistry have been accepte.l ivith some reservafions and are lieinr' independentl v checked. ITousing was onl.v one. of manv fonmof building comjiet ing for available manpower and materials. The. high wartime birthrate, new suburbs changed distribution of population, and raising of the school leaving age had further aggravated thediflicult problenv of school aceommodation and made snli stanial relief measures imperativo. ITniversitv studont populations were nowT double the pre-war strength. Tncro.asing numbers at the ohlest age.s, combined with the etfect of tlnwar and the Rocial .Secnrity scheme had taxed the hospitals beyond capacfty. , At thft. aame time. . pi.fl.jvY in du'dri a 1 ,pnde,Ttahmgs tEproi bein^ launched am1 . ofhers extrind'ed, these making liigl prioritv: calls on building capacitv Tourist aceommodation. banks, insur , ance offices, warehouses, Imlk stores , shops. communitv halls. churches. ad , ministrative office buildings, posf nfliees

courthouse.s, police stations and railwav stations compete.d with each other am' with housing, schools and hospitals folabour and materials.