FARM COTTAGES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 299, 17 December 1937, Page 6

FARM COTTAGES

BUILDING SCHEME SOON EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE FARM LABOUR [ Per Press Association. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 16. Standard plans are being drafted for the building of cottages to provide accommodation for farm labourers, the Minister of Labour (Hon. H. T. Armstrong) said to-day. The Government hopes that the erection of these cottages, which will cost only a modest sum and which will be available for purchase by farmers at the easiest terms possible, will do much to relieve the shortage of farm labour, one of the greatest causes of which has been lack of suitable accommodation. Mr Armstrong said that the construction of cottages would be carried out along with the State housing scheme. It would be unreasonable to expect farmers to pay large sums to build houses on their property for their employees, Mr Armstrong continued, but he hoped that the proposed cottages would be inexpensive enough to attract farmers. Payments could be made by instalments on easy terms. Settlement in the cottages of young married couples, who could be encouraged to establish their own gardens and consider the cottages as their homes, would practically eliminate labour troubles of farmers, Mr Armstrong thought. Employees would have a personal interest in the farms on which they were working, and they would be glad to stay there. A fairly early announcement, giv-, ing fuller details of the scheme, could i be expected from Mr J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Under-Secretary in Charge of Housing, added Mr Armstrong.