HOME BUILDERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 56, 7 March 1934, Page 10

HOME BUILDERS.

N.S.W. STATE SCHEME HUNDREDS JOIN IN QUEUE MR. STEVE'VS GRATIFIED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, March 1. A short time ago I had occasion tc refer to tlio "home building scheme" an nounced recently by Mr. Stevens, ant I pointed out that it could hardly b( expected to reach the level of the poorly paid workers or to meet their needs. In justice to our Premier I must now admit that, within the limits to wlncl it is adjusted, the scheme already pro mises to be a great success. On tlu day on which the forms were ready foi applicants a long queue of would-be home builders formed up outside the Rural Bank in Martin Place, and by the time that the office doors were closed on the first day no less than SOO inquirers had secured the necessary infor rnation. Nor were their questions prompted by idle curiosity. For when the scheme had been open for public consideration foi only one week the Rural Bank prepared for the Premier a return sliowins that "there are 2270 prospective liomt builders in the city area alone." Mr. Stevens was in Melbourne when he received this welcome news, and told an interviewer that this "remarkable response" to his Government's offer of assistance meant, among other things, a substantial reduction in the volume ol unemployment through the amount of constructional work that will be required. According to the Rural Bank report, no less than 1200 of the applicants already possess the land on which tliey wish to build, and as soon as they have complied with the conditions they can start operations at once. In addition to these there have been numerous inquiries for information from the settler; and small farmers in both North and South coastal districts. Of course, the great difficulty in the way of the home builders is the necessary deposit, and when Mr. Stevens published his scheme he suggested that employers would probably be willing tc make advances for this purpose totlieii employees. A good many people were inclined to deride this as an instance of "political optimism." But we are now informed that the Australian Iron and Steel Company, which is extending its operations on a large scale, is prepared to advance deposits sufficient for the building of homes for 100 oPits "hands' at Port Kembla, and the Premier, in lii; Melbourne interview, said that he had reason to believe that many other employers would follow suit. If this is so, Mr. Stevens' confidence in the inherent goodness of human nature will have been amply justified, and there never has been any doubt about his business acumen or his financial capacity in handling such problems as this.