HOUSES FOR EMPLOYEES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 66, 10 December 1937, Page 17

HOUSES FOR EMPLOYEES

Otu Own Cotrespondeiit.)

Central Power Board's Proposai

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WAIPUKURAU, Last Night. The possibility of building houses for eiuployees of the Central Rawke's Bay Electrie Power Board with inone-y borrowed from the Government is to be investigated by a sub-committee of four set up by the board at its meeting in Waipukurau to-day. The sub-coninnttee consists of Afessra W. A. Chambers, R. A. Fraser, O. Pattison, and the aecretary-maoager, Mr G. E. Fowler. The discusaion resulted from a lettei received from the Power Boards' Assoeiation advising that legislation would shortly be passed enabling power boards to orect houses with money borrowed from the Government without a poll. Mr Fowler jreported that he had written to. the assoeiation and found that the money would be made availalde by the Government under the. Housing Act at 3. per cent. Mr Chambers said he thought the. matter desorved consideration, The board's employees had' difficulty in getting houses. Keeping the employees satisfied and eomfortable meant much towards the suecess of the board's work. Mr A. C. Holma pointed out that the housing shortage was fairly aeute. He endorsed Mr Chambers. 's remarks. Mr F. .T. Witherow was not wholly sympathetic. Land would have to be purchased to build on. The board had quite enough to do with its monoy jn exrending electricity, apart from building houses. He thought it better to try to make electricity cheaper; instead of tving money up in seetioms the board woutd have to purchase, no doubt in the borough and fairly heavily rated. "We are not proposing to spend any money we would use in extensions." rep'lied Mr Chambers, The chairman, Mr A. C. Russell, said that oceupiers of the houses wo-uld have to pay more than 3 per cent.