WORKERS' DWELLINGS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 637, 14 October 1909, Page 8

WORKERS' DWELLINGS.

FERRO-CONCRETE HOUSES RECOH- . MENDED., " 1 According to the report oil workers'• dwellings, which* has'now been mado available, a total- of 26 houses was completed or nearly completed during: the year on the following settlements:—.. . , Camclot Settlement (Sydenham) 11, Heretaunga Settlement (Petone)'3, iawry Settlement CEllerslie) 12 .houses.-' A-.further six houses- were being crected on the -"Walker Set* tlement at Addington. Many of-the tenants of the vnrious houses had not;only laid out tasteful gardens, but had a ■ neatly-kept - lawn or kitchen garden. . . t[p t° the end of the period 108 dwellings had been erected and finished, and, ,counUng the twelve houses at Ellcrslie nearing 'completion, and tho six in hand at Addington, there would be a total of 126. Of tho 10S completed, 105 had been let, three at Petone remaining unlet on March'3l last. The houses at Petone had been all let during the year, but the tenants had been either shifted to work in other had-to move on in search of work. It was expected that > the houses would soon be filled again. • An interesting experiment was made during the year in erecting two houses on the Heretaunga Settlement in - ferro-concrete and one in wood. ' These were similar •in design and finish,- and hot only .'wore they found to be nearly as-.cheap as wood, but they.had.tho distinct advantages of not costing ' nearly so much ;for future maintenance, - being .' more weather-proof, and' tho* insurance ' premiums were • lower. . Tho houses generally favoured by tenants was the .five-roomed. \ f

An analysis of the occupations of the tenants already ,in tho houses fihowed the' following result:—Bootmakers, butchers, 2; bricklayers, 2; : cabinetmakers, otc., 4; carpenters, 11; 4 clerks, agents, f>tc M 15; • cook. 1; drivers, 2; engineering trades, 8; gardeners, 4; grocers, 3; housewives, 5; labourers, 17; messengers, 3; paiiiter, 1; printers, 5; railway employees, 3; storemen, 3; tailors. 2;. warehousemen, L Other trades-represented were:— Blacksmith, carriage-painter, carriage-turner, contractor, fellraongcr, picture-framer, potterymoulder, and sailmaker.

There had been, several blocks under offer to the Department for the purposes of the Act at Wanganui; Nanier. Christchurch,- and Wellington. Generally the report of the board in each- case was unfavourable to the purchase of such land, for the reasons, principally, that the price asked was too high, or the land was not suitably situated for the pnrnose, or there was no need for the dwellings because there were already houses available at reasonable rentals. In all cases where land was available it was desirable that it should bo utilised before fresh areas were purchased. ' A further Teturn showed that no money was expended in acquiring land__£or workers' dwellings,in 1908-09; that the amount oxpended out of Liind.'for Settlements Fund in'erecting-dwel-ling' and.in lireparing' land for dw»llin?s was .£6349; that the amount expended out.' 'of labour .Department vote upon ordinary Crown lands was VE5916; and that the rents outstanding on June 9 totalled .£53.'