FARM WORKERS' COLLEGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 180, 29 July 1912, Page 7

FARM WORKERS' COLLEGE.

rural DISTRICTS SCHEME. SPECIAL COMMITTEE'S REPORT. (Bj- Telegraph.—Own Correspondent) rHRISTCffUKCH. this day. The following is the report of Mt. John Stirdholms. (chairman of commit■tec). regarding the farm workers' cottape scheme, set up by the recent Airricnllum! -md Pastoral Association's conference, "to draft a workable scheme for the promotion of the building of cottages for married farm workers in rural districts., find to submit the same to the' Government": — ] The roriiniittep reported that it -had adopted thp following scheme:—"That' the Government should be asked to en-dpavc-.ir to remedy the evil complained ; , of. by nither themselves adopting or by : . promotion such legislation as will em-; pr«pr county councils to adopt one or both of the following courses:— (a) To acquire by voluntary arrangements from; private owners small blocks of land in suitable localities anil to cut them up .into from three to ton-acre areas, accord- : ing t" the quality "f the land, and let or s* , !! fix , same to Linn labourers, and Inillii, ulirn require.!, cottages on such ; area.- <;;■ to •■•- value of, say, £300. (b) ' To rnrniirapp f.'rmers nntl others to I themoi'lTFfi erect farm labourers' cot- j , ttiget' by advancing them loans for thei purpose, nt such a rate of interest as! will provide 4* per cent interest on the loans, insurance premium, and sufficient! .sinking fund to pay off the principal in! 20 yi :ir s ." " j With reTird to (a), ihr following con-1 ' d;ii3S .-hr»ul<3 be provider! for: W- '(l)' That ?<•.",i,>n> or cottapres should be sold! to applicant?, either for cash or on a j referred payment system, or be let on i long Icp.=». with th" option of acquiring the {r«i"hoJd. i i) That the occupier of i any such cottage should be debarred i frcrri selling his goodwill or interest in , tne cottage or land he occupies, except i to tbe Government or the County Conn-: oil, as the case may be, unless and until j he has completed the purchase of the; paid cotta<rp and land, but the Govern- \ -ment or the bounty -Council should allow \ the occupier on t\\* execution of the , transfer to them 11ip full value of all | improvements pfFected by him, and also | all accrued sinking funds lie may have, paid towards the purchase of the land.' and * portion of what sinking fund he has paid towards the purchase of the I rottapp. '31 Th.it the cottage shall be insured in the Government Insurance. Office, and shall be periodically painted , and kept in repair by the occupier." ■ With regard to (b) course, the fol- ! lowing conditions should be provided | for: — "That the rental charged to the occu- ! pier of any such cottage by the farmer | shall not exceed 4$ per cent on the i cost of the cottage, plus six per cent , on the value of any land in excess of half an acre in extent surrounding or adjoining the cottage, which may be allowed to such occupier by the farmer, no rental to be charged for the first half-acre of Vand. •That should the Government elect to authorise county councils to carry out •the above proposals, then that they should be empowered to secure the repayment of any advances they may make to fanners who undertake to build cotplages by the levying of a special rate over such area- of land belonging , to the .paid farmer, as the County Council •may in each caee think advisable." Mr. .StmßolnK* also interviewed the Minister in regard to the proposals. Mr. Massey promised to consider the scheme.