POLITICAL NOTES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11643, 22 August 1905, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

(From Our Parliamentary Special). (By Telegraph.) WORKERS' DWELLINGS. WELLINGTON, August .21.

The Workers' Dwellings Bill, brought down by the Government, is not likely to have a very speedy passage through the House. In the first place, exception is taktjn to the proposed repeal of that portion of section 13 of the Land for Settlements Act, which provides certain safeguards for the owners of land which is to be taken, compulsorily for the purpose of workers' homes. Then again the' critics of the Bill are not satisfied that the proposals, however well meant, will be in the interests of the working men for whose benefit they are designed. There are practically four options: (1) Leasehold with revaluation at the end of fifty years, the rent being fixed on the basis' of 4 per cent on the capital value, and 1 per cent for depreciation. The second option carries the freehold with it. The man who expects to be able to pay the whole of the capital value in one sum at the end of 25 years is to pay. 5 per cent interest and 1 per cent for depreciation. The third option is for the man who desires to pay off the capital value by instalments. He is still further handicapped by having' to ppay 6 per cent interest and 1 per cent for depreciation, and in each case the property must be insured in the State Fire Insurance Office. The point made by the critics, of the Bill is that the poorer the worker the more difficult it is for him to acpuire the freehold, besides which, the freehold, when acquired, is not what is generally understood by the freehold, because it does not carry with it the unrestricted right of alteration. He cannot even leave it where he likes by will without the consent of the Land Board.