WORKERS' HOMES.

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

WORKERS' HOMES.

The foundation stone of eleven workers' homes in Seddon street. Sydcuham, was laid yesterday morning (says tlie "Lyttelton Times" of Wednesday), by tho Ministeroorlr Labour, the- Hon. J. A. Millar, at a gathering whicir included among thof.c present tho Mayor (Mr J. J. Dougall), the town clerk, members of Parliament and officers of th,e Labour and La mis Departments. There was ;i fair gathering of the public, including a number of womenfolk, presumably the wives of the men who propose tn take up tlie now homes on the deferred payment system. In the course of his speech the Hon. J. A. Millar said: The success of the scheme, was assured. The Department has accepted tenders fnr 22 buildings at Auckland, 28 at Welling'^ ton, 11 at Pahnerston North, 11 at Sydenham and 2 at Addington, and had purchased land at Napier, Wangauui, Hamilton, Taumarunui, Timaru, Temuka and Dunedin, and he hoped before long to find the country studded with workers' homes. Tho eleven sections at Sydenham had cost £890, and the contract was £4241. The two sections at Addington had cost £191, nnd the contract was £838. So the average worked out at £470 a house. "I am epnfifien,t," said t' lc" Minister in conclusion, "that wja arc? doing the pioneer work of what 1 trust and feel sure will be of great benefit to the workers of the country. Parliament last year gave a quarter of a million of money for this particular purpose, because it is no use inaugurating a scheme to benefit the few, and if this works out wo will have houses studded all over the country. I feel sure it will be fully appreciated and result in thousands of happy homes in all parts of New Zealand!" Mr. Millar added that the houses could not be placed singly, but it was not intended to place them all together in any kind of barrack system, which could be pointed to as a workers' settlement. The houses would be all over the city, and he was now in treaty for a further section nf land in another part of the city for further homes. ("Applause.)