STATE HOUSING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 220, 17 August 1937, Page 9

STATE HOUSING

MORE MEN IN WORK. PROBABLY 2000 ENGAGED. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 16. Returns showing an increase during tlie past few weeks in the .number of men employed on the construction of dwellings under the Government’s housing scheme were released for publication to-night l>y 4_ho Parliamentary Under-Secretary in Charge of Housing (Mr J. A. Lee). He said evidence of the growing employment possibilities of the State housing scheme was to be found in the progressive returns relating to those engaged on construction work.

Mr Lee said for the week ended July 28, 1001 men were employed; for the week ended August 5, the number was 1139. and for the week ended August 12 the number was 1163. These figures did not include the staff of the housing construction department. The figures should increase more steeply in the near future as construction work was commenced in a large number of towns and each weelc was likely to show a progressive increase in the number of men employed for some considerable time. If allowance were made for the department’s own staoff, for the clerical staff of the'contractors and for others directly and'dndirectly employed as a result of this scheme, it would probably be found that the State’s housing activities were providing employment for 2600 people.