HOUSING REFORM IN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2970, 6 January 1917, Page 7

HOUSING REFORM IN

A 'GREAT;. SCHEME;

-.In.November Mr. Walter:--Long: President of. the British Local Government Board, received sympathetically a deputation to urge; a; large measure of'.housing reform after the war. It was pointed out that at least 400,000 new cottages were needed. The Government was asked to set aside .£20,000,000 for advances .to local authorities and other agencies to -earjy -out- .-housing schemes. This pura is-estimated tir provide about 100,000" houses. Mr. Long agreed that this housing, question lay at the root of all -social, reform, .'and that'.'Government assistance, should be on liberal .lines::-- it was a matter;of: common: justice and decency to provide houses-for-the. men who came back-from the arid-it was vital to the. future "of the . race- : that everything should be done ■ to. keop. as many people as- possible Occupied on the land. '"' Of-"all'the sociah'e'ehemes competing for funds-after the war that for better-housing -came' first.'. To lot the. men who were enduring so'much at the. front come back from water-logged and horrible trenches to something little bet-' ter than a. pig-sty would be criminal. Ho was .not sure that ,£20,000,000. would be enough.. ..Many schemes for-water supply, drainage,- etc., essential to., good housing arid'public-health, had been reluctantly held up ; till-peace'came ,and money' was 1 available. • Local- authorities had been, asked -to"-supply: particulars of works essentia] in this;way, and these would be tabulated and-carefully considered by- the Department,-so that they might be ready when the war was over.- \-