STATE HOUSES

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 436, 18 May 1937, Page 6

STATE HOUSES

Cost May Be Higher Than Expected Press Association—Copyright. Auckland, May 18. From statements being m-ade’ among builders, the cost of erecting the State houses at Orakei, because of the elaborate nature of the specifications. will be very much higher than, is currently believed, running up lo 27t a square foot by the time landi is prepared for tenants. About £lOO lg being allowed for excavating, fencing and Otherwise preparing land, and, taking this into consideration, the contract price for a fourroomed house, is about £ll6O. It is pointed out that, in addition to four rooms in a house costing about £ll6O, there would be a pantry, washhouse, bathroom and suchlike. That cost does not include the value oi the land, which is State-owned, and upon which the Government cian set its own value for the purpose of assessment of rental. The Government has not, of course, made an announcement of the contract prices

accepted, although it has from time to time admitted hat costs had greatly advanced since . the conception of the scheme. Furthermore, it has pointed out that comparison with building costs in the British housing scheme would be unfair, for a much higher standard has been insisted upon in New Zealand, where the use of New Zealand materials has involved higher costs for various classes than had they been imprinted. The use of New Zealand-made materials was justified because of the employment they provided in manufacture. In the British scheme costs "of building have been declared -at from 8s 6d to 10s 6d a square fool, a fourroom house costing about £390. apart from the value of the land. All amenities, such as the building-in of much furniture, are lio’t contained in the British scheme.