PRINCE OF WALES

Grey River Argus, 8 June 1933, Page 4

PRINCE OF WALES

ATTENDS TWO CONFERENCES Sound Advice Given BETTER HOMES FOR WORKERS. (British Official Wireless'). (Received June 7 at 10 p.ni.) RUGBY, June 6. The Prince of Walts attended two conferences in London to-day, the annual conference of the British Legion of Ex-Servicemen and the International gath* ring of Building Societies. Addressing the former he declared: ‘I do not hesitate to say that the ex rvicemen of this country received from successive Governments more bene lit and consideration than those of any other country which fought in the Great War. If the Legion is to be efficient- and use its influence to the best advantage, it must adhere to one of the most important sections of its charter —that it must be-entirely nonpolitical. “Aly message to-day is that we must cluse our ranks still more, and help th e country through the depressed ami ver v difficult times through which it is now passing.” The interest the Prince display's in the housing problem was reflected in his remarks to the Building Society’ Congress. He traced its close connection with the health, education and moral welfare of the community, and remarked that in spite of the great advances since the war, more homes of the right type were still wanted. As building societies, they might not bp directly concerned in slum clearance but nevertheless, they could render invaluable assistance by’ supporting schemes aiming at the provision of bette r accommodation for the lower paid workers. Until some adequate alternative* accommodation has been provided the problem of demolishing unsatisfactory and unsanitary dwellings would be extremely difficult. He recalled that the building society movement first sprang up on British soil, the first recorded building society having been founded in 1781. Referring to the remarkable progress of house building since the war, he said that about two million houses had been erected in Britain since 1919, and to various forms of State and local Government assistance, must be added the practical contribution of the building societies. British societies, since 1919, had advanced £626,000.000 to assist house purchases. He hoped the movement would continue* to gain ground throughout the Empire and that all countries would be represent© 1 at the Congress.