HOUSING CONTRACTS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3324, 31 October 1919, Page 4

HOUSING CONTRACTS.

OFFERS COMING ‘IN.

WELLINGTON, Oct. 30.

Sever-a 1 questions were put to the Minister of Labour in the House today about the housing question. Mr Talbot read a televgram showing that there were five Government sections in Fairlie, and tenants alv.a.ilable. if houses wfere (‘C-I?3cteds {by \GOVer{n:lllc-nix. \The member suggested Thafi the housing problem was almost as serious in the counfl'_v as in the cities.

-Mr Witty informed the Government that :1 large Christchurch building firm had declined to tender for workers’ dwellings owing to the indefinite Specifications. They were prepared to negotiate privately with‘ the Department and accept! contracts. An-other contractor at New Plymouth, whose tender was too high, was prepared to do the work for the cost) of the labour and material, plus 10 per cent. ‘ Mr U-assey undertook to get the Department to look into the contractors’ offers. He agreed with the suggestion that the erection of houses in the country would help to relieve the pressure in the towns, but he would have to give preference to more urgent Cases fhillli Fairlie. The Labour Department had accepted tenders f-oi-‘*§'rfi)ther 50 houses in Wellington and 10 in Masiterton/., while inquiries and ofifers to erect c-o.n—r crete houses were being reecived from various parts of New Zeealand.