LAND AND AGRICULTURE POLICY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 272, 17 November 1945, Page 4

LAND AND AGRICULTURE POLICY

FORMULATION URGED BY LABOUR CONFERENCE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION REVIEWED (P.A.) Wellington, Nov. 14. Formulation of an agricultural policy in the interests of the small farming community was recommended to the Minister of Agriculture by the Labour Party conference to-day. It was also decided to support the policy of settling share-milkers and farm hands on Crown lands. These were two of the major recommendations in the report of the Land and Agriculture Committee of the conference, dealt with to-day. A further proposal, “that a shareholder in a cooperative dairying company be compelled to surrender his shares when he quits dairying,” was referred to the Minister for favourable consideration.

The appointment of a Parliamentary Committee to investigate all aspects of private building construction was approved. It was also recommended to the Government that strict control of the issue of building permits be instituted so that materials and manpower would be used only for essential work and housing.

The conference heard a long discussion on housing and was addressed at considerable length by the Minister of Works, Mr. Semple, on the operations of the Housing Department. Mr. Semple said that more than 4000 building trade workers were now employed on the erection of State houses. He would employ 10,000 if materials were available. The department had bought 44,000 sections, a fact which indicated the Government’s intention to push ahead with its housing construction. More than 19,000 State rental houses had been completed and were now occupied, with more than 80 000 people living in them. Taking into account the houses built by private individuals, more than 30,000 houses had been constructed during tho Government’s term of office. Mr. Semple was given a rousing reception and spoke with characteristic vigour. The conference adopted proposals that a programme of home building be instituted to meet the needs of families with four or more children, that the building of multi-unit houses in suburban areas be abandoned, and that the interest rate for housing loans be reduced. The Housing Committee had no recommendation to make on a remit proposing that the. State housing scheme should be used to encourage larger families and that rentals be readjusted to alleviate the burden of the fam il y mrv .