HOUSING PLAN.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 401, 7 April 1937, Page 5

HOUSING PLAN.

Erection of First Building. Press Association—Copyright. Auckland, April 6. A start will bo made by the Fletcher Construction Company to-mor-row with the erection of the first building on the Orakei housing site. This is a large administrative block containing offices, stores’ and workshops, not only for the contractors themselves, but also for the subcontractors, who will undertake plumbing, painting and other work. The construction of the houses which are included in the contract is expected to begin on May 1, and under the company’s programme they will be finished at the rate of 36 a month. It is hoped the first will be ready for occupation in July. When the work is in full swing at Orakei it is expected about .'OO tradesmen will be employed. They •will probably be obtained without difficulty from Auckland and its’ vicinity. Mr. J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Un-der-Secretary to t'xe Minister of Fin ance. spent' this afternoon receiving callers who were interested in the Government’s housing scheme, most of them being prospective tenants. Enormous Demand, “There is no doubt that an enormous demand exit's at Auckland for new houses,” said Mr. Lee, “and I am convinced that when the first of them are complete the leiuand will no even greater. T here is u« JI e an actual demoio’r.’ L?c. I am hih i the people who go to Orakei v.'ill find the houses much more attractive than they ever expected.” Although he vas unable to give details of the coalitions under which houses would be let, Mr. said it was probable the income limit of £6 a week for tena r.s would be raised. S.u h a limit, if it were retained, would debar even some of the men »-,mp Dyed in -uild’ng and equipping iDe louses. The Government' did not wish occupancy to be confined to oro stratum of society, but rather that larger groups of dwellings shoud provide for a crosssection of the comxnui ity.