WORKERS' HOMES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 57, 7 March 1913, Page 7

WORKERS' HOMES.

CITY COUNCIL'S INTENTIONS. REGARDING RICHMOND RESERVE. Recently the Endowments and Reserves Committee recommended that 500 ft of the frontage west of the old abattoir site be reserved for workers' homes, and the remainder of the main road frontage be leased as building leases. The proposal was referred back to the committee to visit and determine the area to be set aside for workmen's cottages. Having done this the committee again renewed its original recommendation at last night's Council meeting.

Mr. Nerheny objected that the suggested reserve for workers' homes was on the wrong side.

The Mayor said that there were about 250 acres in this property, on which they were paying the Grey Lynn Borough Council £300 per year in rates. It was time they got some return from it. It was an awkward proposition, and he thought the land, rather than continue to remain idle, should be leased on the Glasgow system. He did not believe that it would pay to build workmen's homes, for with the cost of building at present rates it was impossible to build a decent hoase to let at less than 18/ or £1 per week. Mr. Casey said he wanted to see the scheme proposed by the committee gone right ahead with. It was a shame that the land should have lain idle so long. Mr. Read considered the time inoppor-: tune for the sale of leases. The land was improving in value all the time.

Mr. Tudehope said they had been playing shuttlecock with this question for years. Were they really ever going to have workmen's homes?

The Mayor: Yes.

Mr. R. T. Michaels agreed with Mr. Nerheny that the 500 ft which it was proposed to reserve for the actual home 3 should be on the town side of the property. He believed that when the finances would allow them to do so, it would pay them to erect workers' homes.

It was resolved that the Council as a whole should visit the site on Tuesday next.