ENG-1956 — Page 42

REVIEW

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building contract was let. The construction of the eight seven-storey blocks, comprising 4,606 rooms, was completed on 6th March, 1955.

Rentals were related not only to the capacity of the settlers to pay, but also to the cost of construction. Government granted land at one half of the upset price and advanced the funds required for capital expenditure on a forty years loan at 31% interest per annum. An average seven-storey block of 432 rentable rooms could be constructed for $795,600. It would require 23,000 square feet of land which, at half upset price, might be valued at $10 a square foot-$230,000. Annual outgoings, which comprised amortization, crown rent, maintenance and administrative and miscellaneous re- current expenditure, would total $65,239. This gave a rent for each room of $12.50 a month. $1 a month was added for water, 50 cents for bad debts, voids, etc., and the actual inclusive rent was fixed at $14 a month. It is of interest to note that rents from multi-storey estates are now running at $3 million a year, and that in 1956 only $1,213 had to be written off as irrecoverable arrears of rent.

The building of seven-storey blocks has continued. There are now 40 separate blocks spread over four resettlement estates and housing some 103,000 persons. There still remain the older colonies of cottages in areas where the land is less urgently needed. In these too, particularly under the auspices of various private voluntary agencies (who have themselves spent something of the nature of $84 million in relief in the last six years), the resettlement process continues to a limited extent. There are some 100,000 persons in these smaller areas. On present estimates, there remain in the Colony as a whole some 334,000 squatters (including those who have in recent months set up their shacks on the roof-tops) still awaiting resettlement. In other words a town of the population of Plymouth has been built, and another town of the population of Coventry is required. The worst of the fire danger is now over. Fires can and do occur, but they are limited in area and