HOUSING RELIEF WORKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20950, 13 August 1931, Page 11

HOUSING RELIEF WORKERS.

BLOCK OF FLATS OPENED. PRESBYTERIAN SOCIAL SCHEME. The new Presbyterian lodging-house for single relief ■workers, known as Avoca House, at the foot of St. - George's Bay Road, was officially opened yesterday by the Rev. George Budd, chairman of the Presbyterian social service committee. The building, which comprises a number of flats, will provide accommodation for about 40 men. The secretary of the - committee, the Rev. T. Halliday, said the owner of the building, Mr. P. S. CHeeson, had offered it to the committee free of rent for an. indefinite time, guaranteeing possession for at least 12 months. The building had been furnished, a reading room, games room and other social facilities being provided, and seven young men had already been accommodated. It was the desire of the association to encourage these men to go to the country, and endeavours were being made to find work for them. It was not intended to provide a permanent home for them, but a lodging to which they could go .when they could not afford other accommodation. No provision had been made for meals for the men, but cooking facilities had been provided, while the committea had received many gifts of foodstuffs. The churches had responded splendidly in obtaining gifts of furnishings and bedding.

Mr. Budd expressed the thanks of tha committee to Mr. Gleeson for his action, and its appreciation of the work of Mr. Halliday and the Rev. Angus MacDonalA in bringing the scheme to completion. He then formally declared the building open.