§ 32. Mr. MYERSasked the Minister of Health the number of applicants who have had their names upon the local registers for houses erected by the local authorities, and who have afterwards withdrawn their application or declined to enter into occupation of the houses 2223 which have been offered to them on account of the rentals being too heavy for the applicant to pay?
§ Sir A. MONDI understand that evidence given before the Rents Tribunal indicates that applications made before the houses were built and at a time when wages were high have in many instances been withdrawn subsequently. Detailed figures of the numbers of such cases are rot available, and I do not think that they could be obtained except at the cost of much labour and expense.
§ Mr. W. THORNEAre any of the local authorities or contractors now building houses free to buy bricks where they like, or are they still compelled to buy from Government stocks?
§ Sir A. MONDThey have been free to buy bricks where they like for a long time.