HOUSING PLANS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3337, 15 November 1919, Page 6

HOUSING PLANS.

THE STATE ’.S ACTIVITIES.

CONCRETE CONSTRUCION.

VVEDLINGTON, Nov_ 13.

A difficulty in getting contractors to undertake building is preventing the,'Wor_kers’ Dwellings Board frim pursuing ‘the active policy which is necessary‘ to provide a solution for the housing sh-ortageg, blut ‘«arl'-angeme-its have been completed for construction of over a hundred houses in Wellington, or the vicinity. Concrete is the material, for there is a good Supply‘ of Shingle. .There is nothing novel about thelmethods of constructionThe old wooden boxing is to be used for the material, ‘and the present prospects are that, despite the optimistic estimates on the floor of the House when the Housing Bill went through, the cost to the prospective owner will work out at about £6O per annum for a five-roonied dwelling, fitted witih a bath and electric light. This charge will include interest, rates and'taxes, depreciation and maintenance. One batch of the Wellington houses will be built of concrete blocks, according to a well tested system. There is, however, no indication ‘of any radical departure from the accepted methods of building, and .while this is the case, the State will hardly be able to show any substan-5 dial advantage from its contract system of dealing with ‘the problem. A hous- ' ing ‘expert with architectural quali—l fications was advertised for,-but the position has not been filled, and itisg evident that more attractive terms; will have to be oifered. Once this ex- I port ‘is available, the VV-orkers’Dwcl-i lings‘Boal'd will carry out building schemes, and it is to beh-oped that the Government will also import * building 'mta2terialls. ' The principalwork for the moment seems to be in Wellington. There is also -an early prospect of ten housesl being built in Masterton on the concrete block system, and a contract! has been placed for ‘ten out of 17 houses authorised in Auckland. These will be situated at Ellerslio The] remaining houses may also be built there, as the applicants objected to a- , site at Otahuhu, because it is ‘too far , froni. the city. Inquiries are being 3 rnadcgwith a View to increasing the 3 Auckland building programme, for 17 is quite inadequate in tontrast with the requirements, although the appli-‘. cations-from that district were not-g, excessive. Possibly local schemes will ‘ ,

be more favoured. In other centres negotiations are going with builders in the hope of coming to some arrangement "in re‘gard to price, ‘the original tenders having been too high, A conference of the Labour Depal'tment’s officers was recently held in Wellington, when the machinery of the Housing Act was discussed, and plans made for atherough campaign of publicity in connection with the new scheme. But the real problem is To build cheaply, and to get the labour, and until the housing expert is appointed, and the whole department organised for practical building, it does not seem as if the State’s effort will make any appreciable ditference in the situation.