WORKERS' HOMES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14926, 26 February 1912, Page 8

WORKERS' HOMES.

EXTENT OF THE SCHEME. THE MINISTER'S FIGURES. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. The extent of the workers' homes scheme was described by the Minister for Labour in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. He said it was hoped that by the end of the year 2500 homes would be completed. The matter was mentioned by Mr. A. E. Glover (Auckland Central), who suggested an extension of the scheme by allowing applicants to select homes in whatever locality they chose.

The Hon. J. A. Millar replied that the adoption of tho single homo system would add materially to the cost of the scheme. Pie made it plain that tho Department would adhere- to tho minimum of six houses. The Minister said that under the old leasehold system 126 homes had been erected. Of these 35 were in Auckland, 40 in Wellington,.3l in Christchurch, and 20 in Dunedin. Under tho system which came into operation last year, 73 houses were in course of construction, 22 in Auckland, 23 in Wellington, 14 in Christchurch, and 14 in Palmerston North. Applications numbering 134 had been received from 29 towns, the number including 31 from Auckland,, one from Pukekohe, four from Thames, three from Hamilton, and 10 from Gisborne. Tho land available for sites under the old Act comprised 250 sections in tho four cities and in Napier, and there were also 34 acres at Palmerston. There were 41 sections at Ellerslie and Otahuhu. Under the new Act, 20 acres had been set aside at Huntly, Siacres at Eangatatua (Main Trunk line)' and 27 acres at Blenheim; and tho Department was negotiating for 20 acres at Taumarunui and at Napier. Forty-six acres in various centres had been purchased under tho new Act.

A request that land for workmen's homes should bo acquired at Hamilton, Cambridge, and Te Awamutu has been made by Mr. J. A. Young (Waikato).