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Story: Business cycles

Building houses in Napier, 1954

Video file

In the mid-1950s New Zealand underwent a period of growth. This was felt particularly in the building sector, which struggled to keep up with the demand for housing. Recognising this stage in the business cycle, the government encouraged investment in building through various guarantee schemes. This film shows a group building scheme in the Napier suburb of Marewa.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Pictorial Parade 28. National Film Unit, 1954.

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Viv B. Hall, Business cycles – What is a business cycle?, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/24159/building-houses-in-napier-1954 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Viv B. Hall, published 24 February 2010.