HOUSES FOR WORKERS.

Grey River Argus, 19 April 1920, Page 7

HOUSES FOR WORKERS.

NEW GOVERNMENT SCHEME

According- to the report of the Department of Labour in Wellington, i 1 " will be possible for groups of workers in and around Greymouth and the Coast t o erect their own dwellings at the expense of tlit* Government. They can also supply their own material, plau s and specifications, while the deposit of each purchaser is only £10.

Mr. Lowden, the local representative of the Department of Labour supplied the report, which says that, having recei.t;y considered the question of allowing groups of workers in various

towns to erect their own dwellings, the Housing Board will favourably consider app.ications from artisans, singly or in groups, who wi«,h to take advantage of the scheme. It is desired that the procedure should apply especially to the country iowns where the Department has not been able to obtain suitable tenders. In order -o assist the applicants as much as possible they nviy apply io erect dwellings either on their own plans and specifications, but subject to approval of the Housing Architect or may adopt the Departmental designs and specifications. In view of the face that the deposit i s only £10, it must be understood that the dwellings to be erected shal! be such as could be readily sold at a"y future date should any of the occupants fail to comply w'itih their obligations. When submitting: tenders for the dwellir.gs 3 applicants may cither undertake to supply all the requisite materials or to tender on the assumption that the Board will consider the purchase and supply to the contractor of all or any portion of the materials required. In the former case the applicants may be able to purchp.se local'y the materials at a lower price than the Board could or they may be able to arrange satisfactorily for the supply of materials locally, and if such arrangements are approved by the Board the Department to bo responsible for the payments. The Board desires in this way to assist app ican's it; every way possible to proceed with the erection of dwellings at the. least cost. It is preferable, of course, that each group of artisans should comprise all the skilled tradesmen necessary for the erection of the proposed dwellings complete. The conditions contained in our contracts would, of course, apply to all contracts let under this scheme subject to any necessary modification.

In conncctiou with this scheine } information h;is been received in Greymouth that the mining industry has been Gazetted an industry in which employers can obtain advance-^ from the Government for the erection of workers dwellings.