MUNICIPAL WORKERS' HOMES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 3

MUNICIPAL WORKERS' HOMES.

WELLINGTON PROSPECTS.

WELLINGTON, December 4. ' Among tho loan proposals for next year which have been passed by the City Council is ,an. item, " Workers' Homes, Adelaide road, £27,000." The council's plans regarding this matter are not yet settled. Interviewed to-day, the Mayor (Hon. T.. Y. Hislop) said:— "The idea was thatf the council might nee part of the old? tramway sheds sits for the purpose of putting up suitable places for workers. We have aleo certain properties which w© have acquired for street widening purposes. We have other schemes in view',, but the matter depends to some extent/ on th« I/egielature." Mr Hislop then' hinted that the council might seek powers! similar to those conferred on the Glasgow, City Corporation for -taking lands andß .buildings oompukorily for workmen's dwellings. That body "had power, for instance, to purchase land and buildings' for the value of the land alone in caseff* whare the buildings -were in the nature ol a slum. Of course, that was a poweft which would need to be carefully safeAuarded, and' he did not know whether, there ivould be any chance just yet to gefc' : that power from Parliament. Then ifj was a question whether the homes should l he built in' the city, at places convenient; for the tenants, or out in t!ie suburb?. Nothing was definitely settled. He thought, however, that a beginning could) well be made on the old tramway site in Adelaide road.