HOMES FOR WORKEIS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2112, 1 April 1914, Page 8

HOMES FOR WORKEIS.

APPEALS TO W STATE.

WHAT ARE LOCAL BODtES

DOiNC?

' Some Jeeliiig was .appaToivt at- a rc■reiit mefctiiig o.f tljo Na-pim- 80/roufjii Cwiilcil Wlvcil it i#s repwtod that tho Hon. H. D. Bell (Minister of Menial Affairs) hact. stated "that 'Napior ivaS' .i, ivcalth.y borough, and .did nqt want workers' dff<?Hingß." A BOm&what jTiff.oreiit coniploxion , put tj.pon tho matte by Mr Bi?U wiien Iro ivas" jo* torviewed by a Bomi.nion reporter yos» te-rcky, xindiiieidentaflyi ho mnde' soin.e mtei'estiiig ohseryiiiion.s on tho general qtiestto.i of expenditiUre by Jo.eal. hijdfes. ■upoii worked' dweffiiigs *s agaiiis't e*tho ■.fjovcrninent ujion that objeftt.' '' ■

"When I was in Nnnie.r recently.,* l ■srtrd Mr. 8011, "the Mayor (Mr.' X v igar Brawn, MJ?.>. made an appoint* Wont to incot. me ■ at W? office- at the Town Hall ana! brought before mo.ssv-' oral matters affecting tho borough". A.inoii{» .Other things, lie spoko of the necessity for the -acquisition qf land ■in or jiear Napier for svartas* dwbS-' linS's. I stated, in ansivcr, that ho khew that we'Ji.aic!,in ftio p-rovi<iUß ses* sltfu, bqicndfc j tho law jn s\scli .a Hijinno'f as to make it easy for larg? Ijoi^ ouglis .(and bodies of a Kko w-tute) to propeml wstlj- iio iverk of biiiMiiig woVk[*re dwellings aft.d t-haf%o must know ! that tho demand. Mr'-ttiat work was [U|-g<?iVfc all Qve,r Now ,feala.ud..and in ; piaa?s vtee the facilities .providefl. for wealthy bprciuphs ?ntl- latgo counties ■were nccessariiy wnnting. Also that ili.o &«verftihetit'V ■ Krst duty teas, t • tjKWfchtj _to . provide-, for cases wliefe the- locality was xinable to p.rovido its ■■wv.il fiiiaiico and. tiie.li, ■sesQiid.iy, to'aid .tto larger And weatthjer bodies. ■.% scomoff to mo to' te-i& ; fo confer widW :ly ostoded ■ powers upffli bath Ijor-oug-Jxs and, Bounties. ■in . respect of 'workers' dn*;lii-])gs. .if. the borough's ..&)«! ctfmitißs refused to .ex«r«iso siieli pow*' ors iiii.tl it is. disheafienifty: to. find that. itotwrMisfainShig ijie facflities 'qfered, Mr. Brown. c&Midcrs that Napier W as rnticlr • claim tfltiie. eomparativefe small amount at .the -dtsposal of the tioiwiiffleu-i for. yiat purpose :aS places mwh csfi.ncst ..provide , money for tlje.mSOWCJ.

IV afteiation made in tlic ian- is contained in Sections \32 and 53 of the Jl'i'wipal Corporations Amendment act 1913. Section o3 pprmits a municipal council to raise special loans for worknrs dwellings, without taking a poll of the ratepayers, provided that no special, rate is neefwajy to provide intorest and sinking fund. If the council of a borough is wtllinc; to make thv> sacrifice of a very small part of its leycmte it ran provide without difficult-* a large win of mone\. bv borrowir>"- for tlic purposes of workers' dwellings 'I made clear to Mr. Broun." said thp Minuter in conclusion, "that all boiouphs which began the work under the financial arrangements flrovided bj the Act of last v Pa r could rely upon the assistance of the Government lor its extension."