POLITICAL POINTS.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13277, 30 November 1911, Page 4

POLITICAL POINTS.

An attempt js being made to deny to the Government tho credit of originating the Advances to Workers Act. The following, however, appeared in the Governor's Speech of 1905: Few workmen have money wherewith to pay for tho erection of houses, and they have to borrow money at high rates of interest, resulting, in many cases, in cramped and unsuitable buildings. Although provision has beon made under the Municipal Corporations Act enabling borough counejls to provide workmen's homes, practically nothing has been done. To prevent ovorcrowding, and to house the workers properly, my Ministers are of the opinion that the same powers which are conferred upon local bodies should be taken by th» State itself, with power to build workmen's homes or to advance moneys for this purpose. The necessary legislation to enable this to ho done will be submitted for your consideration. The legislation was not introduced in 1905, mainly owing to the anxiety of members to get back to their constituencies on tii© eve of a general election: but it was brought down and carried through in the following year. —"Lyttelton Times."

Mr. Masses, obsessed by a hallucination which he lias encouraged till it has overwhelmed his common sense, persuades himself that he is t^a champion of t.lio nattier. Ho .iplcs thorn to forgst that hewept over t-ho shockint; crncltv f>f takin<i the lareo propnrties, at full nnVps. sr> that we mifbt provide liomes for anxious landfleekerfl and our own young mon and women with us. Nor dips ho proclaim thnt he oprw«><l th«» borrowinn of monov by the Rtato t« lend to settlers.—Oamani "Mail,"