KEEN DEMAND FOR STATE HOUSES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 38, 8 November 1937, Page 6

KEEN DEMAND FOR STATE HOUSES

Over 400 Applicants in Hastings MR. CULLEN SURPRISED Surprise at the number of applications received for Government-owned houses under the State housing scheme in Hastings was expressed this morning by Mr E. L. Cullen, M.P. He said that the number far exceeded anticipations and that it would be impossible to satisfy every/ applicant. "The department would have to erect between 400 and 500 houses iu Hastings if it was to provide a house for every application now in from this town, said Mr Cullen. "I have handled over 260 applications myself and I understand that there are as many again received- from other sources. Ihq demand has been a big surprise and surpassed all anticipations. 5 ' Mr Cullen said that many of the applicants were at ■ present occupying ronted houses and no doubt had been attracted by the f act tbat the Governmcnt houses were to be rented on a cheap basis, this ranging from £1 to 34/- a week, with a rebate of 2/6 a week for prompt payment. rIt would be foolish to assumf that there is a house shortage as acute as the number of applicajits would at lirst indicate," he said. 'It is realised that the position in Hastings is not nearly as bad as tbat, but all tbe same it is astonisbi'ng to note tbe number of applicants. " * Mr Cullen is endeavouring to persuade the department to set aside one block of property purcbased for State bouses for tbe purpose of erecting tbree-unit houses for occupation hy pensioners, particularly old-age pensioners. He pointed out that there were many pensiopers wbo were paying anything up to 15/- a week, .or mofe for one and two rooms and for this amount they could ront 'a three-unit house and have additional facilities aud comfort than they at present -enjoy. He was.hopeful that ll'such houses would be erected on tbe block purcbased from Mrs Sbaw iu Riverslea road.