WORKMEN'S HOMES SCHEMES

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 88, 12 April 1906, Page 4

WORKMEN'S HOMES SCHEMES

REQUIREMENTS OF THE WORKERS.

An interesting , statement in regard to the workmen's homes scheme which Is being actively pushed forward by" the Government was made last night by Mr P. J. Nerheny, president of the Auckland Liberal and Labour Federation. Mr Nerheny informed the members that a house of one storey was preferable to Bcmi-detached houses of two storeys. The designs should be varied, and should include other than four-roomed cottages. The echeme provided, he said, was an expenditure of £350 upon the building and £50 on the groundj and tenders-had

now been called for various designs of detached buildings in one storey. He thought the scheme should go further, and workmen be allowed to select land where they liked, instead of having to go to Ellerslio. At present a town resident could obtain an advance of 50 per cent of the value of his property under the Advances to Settlers Act, and he suggested that the Act should be amended to- permit of larger advances upon proper eecurity. A large number of houses had been condemned during the past year, and the people who had inhabited those dwellings would have as much chance of getting a house at Ellerslie as he would have of acquiring Government House. He hoped that some accommodation would be provided for this class of the community dose to the city. The speaker declared that harassing regulations had stopped property owners building in the city, and the examination of plumbers was a needless hardship upon the tradesmen concerned. He read a letter from the Workmen's Homes Advisory Board thanking him for the information he had given them in regard to the requirements of the workers in Auckland.