HOMES FOR ARTISANS AND WORKERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 47, 24 February 1906, Page 9

HOMES FOR ARTISANS AND WORKERS.

to Tin? union, Biiy-Mi\ Civwell I'ni'Kc'.i ni'^clivft lcltcv, nnd your tAcellcnt Icmliii^ ,nnn)i» in 'I'upsu.iyh issue til Die I'onl, )i,i\{i fiot, nio Moutli'inifr liow in my people m Welling lon nro i <>.dl\ ,tv,no ot t)ie I.hjjo quantity ot land n\.nl,ilile luiwecii thur city nnd J'ninu.i on tho one li.md, ,m<< belwcfU Wolliiinton mill *N1 .t K ii it mi llio oUiov. I'eihDnniiy, 1 lime niilj lie|,un to rpallKu it liilely, nlt)i(iU|;h my acqiuintuiKo, with lln> uiy and mii'iduimU illys tiatcs b.u'lv lo Uiiii' (over oO jeaih)» \Vlii\t) is ivully vniiled, 111 my opinion, is a Mi'onq iSwbitvhnn Uailwtty l<eiu;\ie, lo cmbl'UCe city und siibinlwn residonls, Iho 'lncinkvAhip fuo to be, May, Us pei? nitliUlu. Tho hitsiiitM ot tl\e lie.ijiici Would bo to hold publn' inoolnigN in ilia city nnd Miburbs ami count ly tiisl.iiils, to disseminate infovmation, ami to lalvci, inenibuiH ol' l'niliumt'nt, over tlio ditier. cut routes, An his Honour t.l>e I'lue* Juslico pointed out, mils in \V<llini>lom ar« out of all propmtion to (lie i,iui> ing« ot the workeis (1 pay oih-lmn>lli of my onrnmgn), mwl the only eilreiiul way of bi'it!|jriiirt them on n par with income in to open out, nil available land* in nnd around Wellington and oilier centres as well— us speedily in it imii> bo done, and proviclu cdicictiV nu'iuw «t' transit. I lived in Melbourne tmbmUi «l\inu^ tho intenso part, of tho Rivnl lainl boom of Uio "eighties," niui even at. that liivio van nblo to get, a siv-rooiued house nt South Ynvra (a f,emi-fasl\ionii!»ln wibiirb, next lo TooraK, tho "lomcMt" of (ill suburbs) for 16s per vetk, and lnlci' on a five-roomed hoiiNe at l'rnnrnn lor 13s per week, Contrast that, with pic« sent rents m Wellington, Then tliero wcro no less than 40 trains (not ii> spiuk, of trams) por ilny, nnd fov nlwul, J'.'w per quaitcrly ticket you could n;o in niuk out to Melbourne us often os you wanted. Many people go four or live milcg hi' their luncheon in (ho Mihnvhs, so -efllcieiilly is tlie Biibuilvin li'ntlio nianaßod, and m cheap tho fares. During my residences in Melbourne, in Uio "spventics," 1 «j-iw the old Hobson'n JJay Suburbiiii Uflilway Ooinpnny catering foi tho wnnls of tho people, nnd liDlniiiK to build up tlio flnbmlii, «ml wiln It their own railway tniflii'. 1 hnvo nlso seen tho Wollinßton-lUnimwatu Riilhvny Company nnd (ho Ot>voriimonl» lino to l'otono ond tho Ifutt, nnd Imvo often wondeverl why tlio authnritlpq i»f ono or tho other lino did not profit, by tho expevienco of Urn old euburuan vniU woy n round Melbounie. l^rmco Albeit wns fond of minting tho old spying of a G&rmaii pliilosoplipr, "Verily, my with how li*;l,lo wisdom is this world governed," ns JuV wo telted the "ln»" ana "outs" nt work In tlio political lnnelslrom in England. I often think of tho Prince's qnoUibioiv ns I read lricetinga of Uio Tcndofl Mid Labour Councils nnd other Idndnod bodies in Wellington, They nlrivo fop petty inoreiises in wages, which nro moro than swnllowd up a month or two Rf« terwnrds in,lnoronsod rents, They coalrt glvo a biff load in tlio opening lip o! our mibui'H nnd tho iiicronned mosiia of transit, nnd with a conscauent, clicftp* ening of rent*. But what ao they do? Rail At the high rentals, Mtd allow tho knd syndicates (o mnko land on dwvp thnt it is utterly imposslWo to buy id nntl 'build upon it nt ti rnle thnt wlU| glvo tlio worker n, roawnaWo chtinco to get a roof-troo over his tlKJod, for. Ib Inallon Htllo wliolhcr lie .lias to pay rent lo th« lioune>own«r or intercut to tlic unilfilinl, if lio bo a iw»rohn»er Mmself. Tho roftiody is to make plenty of land accessible lo tlio worker in tho city und suburbs, nnd utiMl tiiab in done, rents will bo abnormally Wglii— l irnv CtC " 'a PAYKR Off 3>EXR MNT*