HOMES FOR THE AGED POOR

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22413, 28 May 1938, Page 14

HOMES FOR THE AGED POOR

CITY COUNCIL’S PROJECT INVESTIGATION BEGUN OF SITES “ SCHEME WELL UNDER WAY »» An investigation of sites on which homes for old age pensioners and others in poor circumstances might be built has already been commenced by the City Council. Labour Party candidates before their election to a majority on the council stated their intention of undertaking a housing scheme for the poor with the least possible delay; and yesterday the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane) and the Deputy-Mayor (Cr. J. S. Barnett), accompanied by the Chief City Inspector (Mr J. W. Huggins), visited sites in the city whicn will be considered by the council’s housing committee before it brings forward its proposals. Commenting on the progress of the investigations, Mr Macfarlane said that several sites had been exarnined. For obvious reasons, no could not say where the sites were, but the present indications were that it would be possible to establish a settlement in which the homes could be let for about 10s a week. The scheme was well under way, he added, and he thought that substantial progress would be made after the council, at its next meeting, had heard the views of the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women, which was interesting itself in housing. Offer of Loan Money The Government has already offered the council loan money for housing, the interest rate being 3 per cent. At present, however, there is no authority in the Municipal Corporations Act—which governs the activities of the council —for the construction of hornes for pensioners and the needy. But it is not expected that this will cause any delay in the council’s scheme, for the Minister lor Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. K Parry) has given notice of his intention to seek various amendments to the act during the next session of Parliament, and _ one of the amendments proposed will give local bodies power to build homes for oldage pensioners or for any other resi. dents. , ~• , . Nor will the council be delayed by the necessity of taking a poll to authorise it to raise the required loan money. A good deal of information is already available to the council’s housing committee, and its major task will be the selection of a suitable site for the inauguration of the scheme. Plans of houses were drawn during the term of the last council, and according to Cr. Barnett, a house could be built for £360 and could be let for about 9s 5d a week.