STATE HOUSING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 79, 27 December 1937, Page 3

STATE HOUSING

— Press Association.)

Flats for Elderly People and Young Couples NEW DEVELOPMENT

(By Telegrapb

AUCKLAND, Last Night! ! A new development in the Government 's housing scheme, the proposed erection of houses,' each comprising four small flats, suitable for elderly people and young married couples without children or pensioners, is announced by the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. M. J. .Savage). The first group will be erected at Point Chevalier and the scheme may be subsequently extended to other parts of the Dominion. Although the Prime Minister did not say so, it is understood the rent of each flat will be in the vicinity of 14s a week. "Tenders are being called for the erection pf a group of these houses at Point Chevalier," Mr. Savage said. "The contract provides for the erection of four flats of the bed-sittiug room-kitchenette type all in one bullding and with one community laundry for four flats, The buildings will be oi the single floor variety and the accommodation will be such as to £ supply Jhe needs of the type of tenant of moderate means, for whom little has been done in the past. "Double floors have been avoided in the initial scheme," Mr, Savage said, "but a two-storey or storey-and-a-half house will appear at the Point, at which sufheient alternative accommodation is available to permit of slum .clearance, "Slum clearance schemes in Great Britain have always been prosecuted on the understanding that alternative accommodation must be available before the sluins are demolished and something of the same nature will have to be taken into consideration in New Zealand. Plans are also being prepared for a housing scheme of the twostorey variety in an area in Wellington at present owned by the Crown, If the plans suggest economic and efficient treatment, and if the local authority is agreeable, an early experiment will be conducted in the erection of the type of house and flat suitable for slum clearance. A feature will be the provision of wide, grassed playing-flelds."