HOMES FOR WORKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16496, 23 March 1917, Page 6

HOMES FOR WORKERS.

STATE SCHEME IN REVIEW.

PROBLEM OP INCREASED COST.

; [BT TELEGRAF-H. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]. . WELLINGTON, Thursday. Information" given by: the Labour Department shows that the policy to ha followed this year with regard to the buildinir of homes for workers not yet been. decided. A : report has been made to the Government,„ but it will be some time before a definite announcement is made.

The cost of building houses has greatly increased, and men; to do the building cannot be obtained so freely now, With ftho high; cost of building, it will not'ibe possible to provide '. workers' : homes at • the same "rent" as in cheaper days, and the point : will ■: arise ; ; whether ,-.' the : authorities would be Justified in allowing 'men, to assume * rather'*; heavy responsibilities 1 in war time. The man who gets a worker's dwelling is in receipt vof not more than "£3 7s a week, -arid it is • possible " for h&j weekly payments .to absorb as much as: a- j third of his: income. - "■ , '" i

Though the demand for these dwellings is not so great as in previous years, there are? some (applicants still waiting ;to* be accommodated. s ■ Tenders ,■ are s - now being invited for seven houses to. be erected in the suburbs-: of Wellington. Last year £55,000 werei granted for the building of these i dwellings, and in the previous year £100.000 were allotted. Almost the whole of l the amount set" aside for . the ... purpose last year has been spent or is being spent.