STANDARDISED HOUSES

Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1926, Page 4

STANDARDISED HOUSES

ACTIVITIES OF RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

AUCKLAND, Sept. G

Standardised machine-built bouses, costing an average of £275 each, including expenses of draining and reading, continue to be turned out by the. Railway Department’s factory at Frankton at the rate of one a day. In this way the housing problem has been solved for many railway servants. Since the scheme was initiated about four years ago, 2f)o houses have been, delivered in “knock down” form and erected at various centres in the North Island. Auckland province lias l>eon most fortunate, in being apportioned about 500 of the houses. Of these, 100 have been erected in Auckland City and suburbs, and Frankton has re-

ceived 110. Fifty-four new dwellings are receiving the finishing touches at Otahuhu. and all hut three are occupied.

An interesting feature of the Railway Depiirtment’s housing scheme is that rents are fixed at one day s wage. Irrespective of what a man is earning. Ilia rent is fixed on this basis. The Department is finding that railwayman appreciate their homes and generally take an interest in making improvements.

The factory at Frankton gives employment to 180 men. The houses are all five-roomed dwellings of uniform size. There are. however, six designs for frontage. This enables some variety to bo made when a number arc erected in line. The programme abend provides for construction <nf another 100 bouses.

Tn addition to producing bouses for the Department, the factory will do work for local bodies. The Hutt. Ciaiutv Council has been the first purchaser. An order for 150 houses is now Being met. and already 50 standardised booses have been supplied.