FOR THE WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 44, 20 August 1913, Page 10

FOR THE WORKERS

HOUSING AND INSURANCE. Two interesting remits were moved at the Counties' Conference yesterday afternoon. The first, which came from Waipara, sought to affirm, "that power be given to County Councils to purchase land and build houses to encourage 6mall settlers and workmen, to settle in the country districts." It was pointed out by the mover (Mr. G. Rutherford) that labour was getting scarcer every year, and that the proposal would encourage men to settle in districts where at present they would not stay on account of the scarcity of houses. The remit, which was not discussed, was carried after a close division. Tho other motion was moved by Mr. Quin (Eltham) :—"That counties be empowered to create an insurance scheme, either solely or jointly." The "profit" would thus find its way into the council's coffers and not into the pockets of the insurance company, pointed out Mr. Quin. In endorsing the proposal, another speaker said that during the last ten years his council had paid £947 in insurance premiums, while the insurance company had had to pay out to the council's workmen the sum of only £112 3s. Consideration of the suggestion was deferred pending the tabling of a schedule showing the amount paid by the whole of the County Councils in the Dominion during the last ten years, and the amount of the insurance companies' disbursements.