§ Captain ORMSBY-GOREasked the Minister of Health whether the average cost of brick houses of approximately 10,000 cubic feet contents, now being erected by local authorities under the new Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, is 1s. 1d. per cubic foot; whether houses of the same type and contents are being built in concrete at a cost of 8¾d. per cubic foot; and, if so, what steps he is taking to bring to the notice of local authorities the economies that can be effected by utilising concrete instead of brick wherever material for making concrete is available locally?
§ Major ASTORThe average cost of brick houses is at present about 1s. 1d. per cubic foot. Houses of a very simple type are being built in concrete as an experiment, and the cost of these houses has been estimated at about 8¾d. per cubic foot. The building of cottages in concrete blocks is being encouraged where suitable; materials are available at or near the site, and information regarding their experi- 1119W ments will be published from time to time in "Housing," the Departmental Journal, which is sent to all local authorities.