FARMWORKERS' COTTAGES

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIII, Issue XVIII, 30 July 1912, Page 6

FARMWORKERS' COTTAGES

A SCHEME OUTLINED

BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.

CHRISTCffIJRCH, July 28 The following is the report ot Mr John Studholme, chairman of the commitee regarding the farm workers cottage scheme set up by the recent Agricultural and Pastoral Associations Conference, "to draft a workable scheme for the promotion of the building ot cottages for married farm workers in rural districts, and to submit the same to the Government." The committee reported that it had adopted the following scheme: , ,-, , i i That the Government should be asked to endeavor to remedy the evil complained of by either themselves adopting or by promoting such legislation as will empower county councils to adopt one or both of the following courses: (a) By acquiring by voluntary arrangements from private owners, small Hocks of land in suitable localities, and by cutting them up into from three to ten acre areas, according to the quality of the land, and by letting or selling the same to farm laborers, and by tinkling when required, cottages on such areas up to a value of, say, £800. (b) By encouraging farmers and others to themselves erect farm laborers' cottages by advancing them loans for the purpose at such a rate of interest as srill provide 4^ per cent, interest on the loans, insurance premium, and sufficient sinking fund to pay off the principal in 20 years. . With regard to (a), the following conditions should be provided for: (1) That the sections or cottages should be sold to applicants either for cash or on the deferred payment system, or be let on long lease, with the option of acquiring the freehold. (2) That the occupier of any siich -cottage be debarred from selling his goodwill or interest in the cottage or land he occupies, except to the Government or the County Council, as the case may be, unless and until he has completed the purchase of the said cottage and land, but the Government or the County Council should allow the occupier on the execution of the transfer to them the full value of all improvements effected by him, and also all accrued sinking funds he may have paid towards the purchase of the land, and a portion of what sinking fund he las paid towards the purchase of the cottage. . (3) That the cottages be insured m the Government Insurance Office, find be periodically painted and kept in repair by the occupier. With regard to (b) course, the following condition should be provided for: That the rental charged to the occupier *>f any such cottage by the farmer shall ■not exceed 41- r>er cent, on the cost of I;he cottage, plus 6 per cent, on the value of any land in excess of half an acre in extent surrounding or adjoin.ifig the cottage which may be allowed to such occupier by the farmer, no rental to be charged for the first halfacre of land.

That, should the Government elect "to authorise county councils to carry out the above proposals, then they should be empowered to secure the repayment of any advances they may make to farmers who undertake to build cottages by the levying of a special rate over such area of land belonging to the said farmer, as the county council may, in each case, think advisable.

Mr Stridholme also interviewed the in regard to the proposals, and Mr Massey promised to consider the _§cheme.