Housing in New Zealand

A nation’s prosperity isn’t measured in exports and show and false fronts. It’s in the way people live and in how much sun they get, where the kids grow up and in how the sanitation works.

– From the narration

Ironwork were added for no real purpose except to make the house look more elaborate.

– Architect William Page on Victorian fretwork

"Don't be fussy, it's a roof over your head isn't it?"

– The narration captures the plight of the wannabe house owner

We are not going to have people living in slums while there are workmen here capable of building decent houses. We have visions of a new age, an age where people will have beauty as well as space and convenience in and about their homes.

– Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage in 1936

We will live with space about us and order, and room for the sun to get in. After 100 years we’re learning to build to suit our way of life. Here we have the simplicity and light and good design that we began with.

– From the narration

Inside they have narrow, dark passages and the guest room and drawing room face the street, even if there was no sun on that side of the street at all. It was more important to be conventional than to be comfortable.

– Architect William Page on turn of the century design