National Party Would Sell State Houses

Chronicle (Levin), 14 July 1948, Page 7

National Party Would Sell State Houses

Press AssociationJ

(Per

WELLINGTON, July. 13. The Opposition suggestion tliat State houses should be available for sale, was diseussed by Mr. JP. S. Hackett (Grey Lyun, Labour) in tlie House of liepresentatives today. Mr. Hackett said the National Party had advncated the sale of State houses but in the full knowledge" tliat i.ts announced policy could not be carried out. Opposition voices: Why? Mr. T. L. Macdonald: It is being donc in Austraiia. Mr. Hackett said it liad been stated by the National Party that with out uuy increase of present rentals, tenants of State houses would be euablcd to buy their homes iu from 30 to 40 years whereas at present rentals it would take 77 years to pay oi! the cost of State houses. lf the National Party were prepared to sell State houses (inancod on a basis of iuterest at 11 'pe>cent., would tliey be prepared to re dilec the iuterest on houses' built o: oought with rehabilitation loans, to the saniQ levei? Opposition voice: Why should tliey 7 Mr. Hackett said there were thousands of returned meu living as tenants in State houses but 19,700 returned men liad housing loans at 3 per cout. JDid the Opposition want to start "a eivii war" by ofL'ering State houses to 8000 returned men at .11 per cent. iuterest and charging a tar g-reat-er .number 3 per cent.'? Mr. Hackett asked whether, if the National Party liad th6 opportunity of ofl'ering for . sale sonie 20,000 Sfate houses on wlvich intelest was cJiargii. at 11 per ceht., it would compel thc bauks to reduce iuterest 011 ail overdrafts to the same rate. The proposals for sellmg State houses had been unule to eutlce people to vote for the National Party 011 false pretences. . Mr. \V. S. Ooosnnin (Piako, Opposition) said Mr. Hackett had been lish ing for details of tlie National Party b scheiue for selling State houses. Thc schenie.was souud but wliat could bo said of the Oovernnient's policy in letting houses built today — whcu costs were thfee tiines those of 1937-38 — l'o; the saiue njutals as when the State housing schenie began?