MR. J. A. LEE'S DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1937, Page 13

MR. J. A. LEE'S DEFENCE

BUILDING COSTS FACTOR (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 25. j "I am not apprehensive of criticism of the rents having regard to the present building costs. What I am apprehensive about is that other people building houses will claim that the rents are too low, and will put them, out of business," said Mr. J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Under-Secretary in Charge of Housing, replying to comment about the rents likely to be charged lor Government-houses. Mr. Lee claimed that the 17s 6d and £1 units in the Government housing scheme when built privately were being let today for from 30s to £2. If anybody could find.being let today a type of house similar to the 25s unit and let: at a figure, approaching that rental he' would like to see it. "Some people say we should build cheaper houses, but the most we could do would be to build them cheaper by a very small amount, and the resultant saving would not affect the rentals by one penny piece, as. the cheapness of the'unit would necessitate budgeting for a shorter life period and higher maintenance," he added. "It must be remembered, too, that the figures mentioned in the message from Wellington were average rentals. In some instances they will be higher, and in some lower, to yield the average we have struck."