STATE HOUSING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1938, Page 6

STATE HOUSING

TOTAL OF COMMITMENTS TO DATE SHORTAGE OF SKILLED LABOUR. PARTICULARS OF LOANS ,TO LOCAL BODIES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Total net payments by the Housing Construction Department up to March 31, 1938, for purchase of land, provision of services, erection of joinery factories, erection of houses and all administration charges amounted to £1,523,967, according to the annual report of the State Advances Corporation which was tabled in the House of Representatives yesterday. Liabilities, and commitments at that date amounted to £1,666,115. The report states that the progress of most of the housing contracts has been retarded, first, by a shortage of skilled labour, and, secondly, by a shortage of materials. Orders for some materials, particularly tiles, had to be placed overseas because the production of local factories could not be expanded rapidly enough to cope with the demand. During the year 26 loans were granted to local authorities, the amount involved totalling £208,820, which provided for the erection of 192 houses. Seven co-operative dairy factories took advantage of the offer of loans, the amount granted being £7,000. The total expended for the year on new houses was £1,'089,227. A total, of £332,062 was spent on freehold land and £60,607 on preliminary expenses of the construction branch. Up to July 31, 1938, the report states, 1094 new houses had been handed over to the corporation for administration. The amount outstanding at March 31 on 323 dwellings sold under agreements for sale and purchase was £136,474, and on 810 dwellings let to tenants £500,312. At the close of the year arrears on dwellings sold amounted to £13,604 and on rented dwellings £8892. In addition, there were 360 houses erected during the year under the new housing scheme, the final cost of which was approximately £377,000.