HOUSES FOR MEN ON FARMS

Southland Times, Issue 23437, 18 February 1938, Page 6

HOUSES FOR MEN ON FARMS

GOVERNMENT LOANS ADVOCATED

POSSIBLE SOLUTION OF LABOUR PROBLEMS

(United Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 17 The farm labour problem was discussed at the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Dairy Board in Wellington today, when particular attention was directed to the necessity for attracting married men to farms. The following remit from the South Auckland Dairy Association was carried:—

That this meeting is of opinion that the ultimate solution of the farm labour question is that suitable accommodation should be provided to permit the employment of married men and that the Government be requested to make money available to farmers at low rates of interest and easy terms of repayment for this purpose, such advances to be a charge against the land on which the houses are erected. “The whole difficulty is in providing accommodation for married people,” said Mr S. A. Ferguson (Northern Ward), in moving the adoption of the remit. If provision were made by the Government along the lines of the remit farmers would be in a position to offer suitable accommodation and attract first-class farm labour, he said. Single men all had an ambition some day that they would get married, but when they were working on farms they saw no prospect of getting a , house. The provision of accommodation would be an incentive for the best young men to stay on farms. There should be no difficulty with finance. The Government could advance the money and repayment could be spread over a long period. This was one of the best solutions they knew of the farm labour problem.