MARRIED COUPLES

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16477, 23 February 1918, Page 11

MARRIED COUPLES

. - ON TBEE I'AEM. } PROBLEM OF ACCJOMMODATION. | ; At a conference last week between, the National Efficiency Board and tlis Board ot Agriculture, an exhaustive discu9sk.il took place with regard to the problem of providing better accommodation for married men on the farms, so as to prevent as far as possible tlie Orif t of labour from the country .to the towns. A report supplied to tha- press states' that it was pointed out that, owing* to the large increase of iudebtedmess and other burdens thrpughdut the Dominion, the only chance of maintaining the standard of living would be by a rapid and sound ■expansion in the productivity of the arid that a married, mam, provided with a suitable house with moderate conveniences, having a plot of ground sufficient for vegetable garden, and land sufficient to keep a cow, pigs, and fowls, is comparativelly well off in rural districts, even if only earning a small actual cash wage. A scheme to facilitate the erection of cottages for married men on farms, which had been drafted by Mr Munt on similar lines to the provisions as to workers' dwellings in the town, was adopted. A further proposal to initijate some small village settlements in the backblocks was formulated, with thje. view of securing advantages of friendly intercourse and mutual assist once between the families living; in the village and so -that the individuals occupying these cottages would not feel tied to a single employer .and would, within moderate limits, be able to carry their labour to the best market, or at any rate, wouid have the feeling that they could. Village communities, of this class, it was suggested, might have the advantages of having a cooperative _storC; school, and hall accommodation, and other facilities which would not be obtainable by those resident in detached cottages situated on their employers' properties.