A reporter who inquired of the Labour Department yesterday how many applications had been received for advances for the building of houses under the provisions of the Housing Act, found that while 40 have been received and officially approved, in not a single instance has building been started. This unsatisfactory state of affairs is the result of the ever increasing cost of building, while, on the other hand, a low limit has been fixed to the amount which may be loaned to a successful applicant. It has been laid down that the price of a dwelling, including the cost of the section, is limited to £775 in the case of a dwelling erected mainly of wood, and £850 in any other case. If £200 is allowed as the price of the section, it means that there is left only £575 or £650, according to material, which, even in the case of a five-roomed house, is hopelessly inadequate in face of present prices. The general estimate allowed by builders is £180 or £200 a room, and it has been found that they will not look at the contracts at the Government's price. Some, having learnt of the maximum allowed, have not troubled to tender, finding plenty of work to do at higher prices. It seems a pity that the Housing Act, which was framed to relieve an acute shortage of houses, should be rendered useless for want of a more generous scale. Further, the allowance for rates and insurance is also inadequate to meet the facts of stern reality. The average city ratepayer would be very pleased if 1s 9d a week paid the yearly rate bill. Most of the 40 applicants are still waiting in despair for their approved houses. Applicants suggest that if the Government will not undertake the building of these houses, the only remedy is to raise the limit of the lean to which an applicant is entitled.
Slow boat to Lyttelton
"Why don't they chop her up for firewood?" was a typical expression of the disgust and annoyance felt by business men travelling on the Mararoa from Wellington on Tuesday night when it became evident that she was not going to reach Lyttelton in time to catch even the second express. The Mararoa got away from Wellington promptly at a quarter to 8 and met with good weather, so that passengers were astonished to find the next morning from her position off the Kaikouras that she had made extraordinarily little progress during the night. Some of them have since read with considerable amusement the explanation made here that they met with a "heavy southerly gale". Certainly there was some official talk on board of rough weather in the Straits, but it escaped the notice of the landsmen aboard. The morning was beautifully fine, and for a time it appeared that there was a sporting chance of berthing at Lyttelton by 12 o'clock, but it was nearly 1 o'clock when she tied up, and by that time the late express was well on its way south. Among the passengers were the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister of Education), who had to cancel or alter a lengthy series of appointments in Otago and Southland, and a number of prominent Dunedin business and professional men, whose presence in Dunedin yesterday was a matter of importance. In addition to this personal inconvenience, of course, the Otago mails were delayed for a day. Whatever the actual trouble may be, it is evident that the old Mararoa has completely lost her dash, and the travelling public will be much relieved to know that her term on the ferry run is at an end. — ODT, 16.4.1920
