A FARM HOUSING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 296, 10 September 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

A FARM HOUSING PROBLEM

There is no more important farming problem in New Zealand to-day than that c ‘Ttirr ndannntp housing for farm workers. Nor is this a problem that soltlj Zbta f». u» d».»« *>» a? »«i"»'“ existence upon two fronts. First, the economic; for dearth of housing is causing existence I . . - th consequent threatened lowering of production. StanStant, I. the l«»a.ae. «W" <he sraeratlons to »« » ““““ “ <i vfrilT country population, a need well recognised by sociologists the world ovei. In the days of the big stations of half-a-century ago, the homsteads frequently vilhmes the owner’s residence being surrounded by cottages for married SwS 1 The’ wllb .Son «» M. bouse fcr each fam. .M. invnriablv single young men. This condition long continued. Both stages have now been passed. Sufficient single men are no longer offering to carry on al the needed farm work. This is largely so because farm life does not greatly appeal to many single young men and there are ample opportunities to-day available else--1 i,?™ Rut evidence accumulates that married men would be available to take the Xi pSlta, w“. S provided for Ito That such mu should serve the - , . i/inni tn hp fostered They would be the happier there, being tiue land ±s 1S Their families wSd enjoy rthT health-giving country life. And in turn, farmers would enjoy the services of mature, settled men with an interest in their work We have the farms, we have the men, but the houses alone are lacking. W ° GivTn normal conditions, farmers could and would have met this problem in the obvious way, hy .builffing They have-not - houseVjust three years. For this, the State is primarily responsible. Housing Josts are the highest ever seen in the history of the Dominion but farming returns nre not at such a height. Farmers are less able to build than they should be. Qnnnndlv nlthouch most mortgage commitments have been adjusted, farmers so w«t°gZ approximating the full capital value of their properties They have really no equity upon which to raise credit in the ordinary wav Thirdly a record weight of taxation is to-day reducing the workin D and development Capital in farmers’ hands. Money that might better have gone into farm homes goes to the coffers of the Treasury. Fourthly and Anally, when other factors could g be overcome, a final hurdle is impeding progress. There is a lack of confidence abroad in the land, a feeling of great insecurity, arising from the actions ° f two years the Government has talked of “doing something.’ But no action has resulted, nor can any be expected within six months. Apart from politics farmers have a right to expect and must press for Government action in regard to rural housing. Through no fault of the farmers, a situation has developed tW requires urgently so, a measure of State assistance. A gift need not be, should not be asked for, but assistance in the form of credit on a long-term basis is needed Whatever may be the outcome of the impending election, farmers should press for this, with a united voice.