BUSY DAYS FOR PRINCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19509, 8 June 1933, Page 9

BUSY DAYS FOR PRINCE

ATTENDS IMPORTANT CONFERENCES

APPEAL FOR NATIONAL

CO-OPERATION

British Official Wireless

(Received June 7, 5.5 p.ra.)

RUGBY, June 6.

The Prince of Wales attended two conferences in London, to-day, namely, the annual Conference of the British Legion and ex-servicemen, and the International Gathering of Building Societies. Advice to Ex-Servicemen. Addressing the British Legion, the Prince declared, “I do not hesitate to say that the ex-servicemen in this country have received from successive Governments more benefits and consideration than those of any other country, which fought in the Great War. If the Legion is to be efficient, and use its influence to the best advantage, it must adhere to one of the most important sections of its charter —that it must be entirely non-politi-cal. My message to-day is: ‘We must close our ranks still more, and help the country through the depressed and very difficult times, through which it is now passing."

Britain’s Housing Problems.

The interest the Prince displays in the housing problem is reflected in his remarks to the Building Societies Congress. He traced its close connection with the health, education and moral welfare of the community, and remarked that in spite of the great advances since the war, more homes of the right type were still wanted. As building societies, they might not be directly concerned in slum clearance, nevertheless they could render invaluable assistance by supporting schemes aiming at the provision of better accommodation for lower paid workers. Until adequate alternative accommodation has been provided, the problem of demolishing unsatisfactory and insanitary dwellings would be extremely difficult.

The Prince recalled that the building society movement first sprang up on British soil, the first recorded building society having been founded in 1781. Referring to the remarkable progress in house building since the war. the Prince said that about two million houses had been erected in Britain since 1919, and to the various forms of State and local government assistance, must be added the practical contribution of building societies. British societies since 1919, had advanced £626,000,000 to assist house purchase. He hoped the movement would continue to gain ground throughout the Empire, and all countries represented at the Congress.