WORKERS' DWELLINGS

Southland Times, Issue 17427, 20 August 1913, Page 7

WORKERS' DWELLINGS

ANNUAL REPORT. (Special to the Times). WELLINGTON, August 19. “ Probably the principal feature of the operation of the Act (Workers Dwellings) during the year has been the decision of the Government to extend its benefits to farming and other employees in the country districts, for whom it is proposed to purchase or set apart suitable blocks of land to be sub-divided into sections of about five acres each, upon which to erect workers’ dwellings.” Thus the annual report of the superintendent. of workers’ dwellings, which was tabled this afternoon by the Minister of Labour (Hon. W. F. Massey). It is expected that the workers resident therein will be enabled to carry out farming in a small way on their own account, in addition to performing ordinary duties as employees in their respective districts. In this way continuity of employment should be ensured to them, while at the same time they will be more regularly available for the somewhat intermittent work on which they arc now engaged. In response to this decision several blocks of land have been offered for the purpose of workers’ dwellings, but it is of the utmost importance that close enquiries be made as to the actual needs of the workers concerned for such workers' dwellings in the respective localities, and also as to their ability t6 carry out the responsibilities that would be entailed on them by the Act. Negotiations have not In any case been quite completed. When these steps have been taken no doubt arrangements will be made without further delay for the purchase of suitable blocks of land, and the erection of dwellings thereon will then be proceeded with. During the past year land has been purchased or set ‘ apart, and 37 dwellings have been erected in the smaller towns, while arrangements are also well in hand for the erection of 14 dwellings at Greymouth and 12 at Invercargill. With regard to the centres six dwellings have been erected in Christchurch, 36 are in course of erection In Auckland, and two are in course of erection at Dunedin. Following upon notices sent to the tenants and lessees of the 126 dwellings erected under the previous Act of 1005. thirty-four of the occupants have availed themselves of the opportunity of purchasing their dwellings under the scale set out in the 1910 Act. The land now available for new dwellings is located at the following, amongst other places :—Napier, Waltara, Palmerston North. Levin. Wellington (Island Bay, Taltoville. Johnsonvllle, Petone), Nelson, Blenheim, Tlmaru, Dunedin (Mornington and Ravensbourne), and Invercargill (Seaward Bush). Six or more applications are awaiting hearing at Napier, Hastings, Wellington. Picton, Nelson, and Tlmaru, amongst other places. A table of the comparative cost of the erection of the 4-roomed and 6-roomed design in the various centres shows that the cheapest town to build in is Christchurch, whilst the largest expense Is contracted in "Wellington and Palmerston. It has thus so far been found quite as expensive to build" in the smaller towns as in the four centres, although as the land is considerably cheaper In (lie former, the capital value is less slightly, and the instalments payable are appreciably reduced. Some figures relating to the average cost of erection of dwellings in the following places : —Auckland, 4 rooms, £312; five rooms, £345; W’ellington, £345 and £3SO: Christchurch. £3OO and £331; Palmerston North, £3lB and £374; muka (5 rooms). £367.

A sum of £4C,899 10s 2d was expended last financial year In acquiring land for dwellings, preparing same and erecting buildings. All the dwellings erected (102) were disposed of.