FARM WORKERS’HOMES

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20785, 21 April 1939, Page 6

FARM WORKERS’HOMES

HOUSE COSTS ONLY £3OO SCHEME TO ASSIST INDUSTRY FINANCE AND MATERIALS Homes for rural workers at a cost of £3OO each are declared to be possible by a Hamilton man who has made a close study of the problem. In an interview with the Waikato Times he submitted facts and figures, among them being the rather surprising percentages of costs of the individual factors in the construction of houses. For instance, plumbing was said to be the chief item of cost. “A great need exists for better accommodation for farm workers, especially on small dairy farms, where the owners are unable to finance the expenditure required for building,” he said. There is a demand for more labour in country districts, but one of the principal reasons why labour Is not attracted to the country is lack of proper housing accommodation, especially for married men with families.

“The following scheme Is suggested as a means of overcoming the difficulty which threatens to reduce the volume of national production. The major factors in the solution of the problem are finance, labour and materials. These are dealt with in their order of importance. Financial Aspect

“The cost of the house required is limited by the capability of the farmer to pay for it, and therefore the most economic class of house is essential to a solution of the problem. A plan has been devised for a standardised house, capable of accommodating a man and his wife with a family of up to four young children, costing approximately £3OO, the floor area being 592 feet—roughly 10s per square foot.

“It is suggested that the Government advance the £3OO required, less a deposit of say £SO, repayment to be spread over a short term free of interest.

“The Minister of Housing has stated that the New South Wales Government is guaranteeing building societies against loss on loans advanced beyond a certain amount. Recently press cables stated that President Roosevelt was arranging a loan of 1,500,000,000 dollars for the purpose of lending it to local bodies and other State enterprises, free of interest. It would therefore appear to be a progressive policy for the New Zealand Government to follow along these lines and assist the struggling small farmers with a view to increasing national production by lending monfcv free of interest for the purpose of building houses.

“It is presumed that the State Advances Corporation would control the loans, and it is suggested that a charge of £5 per house should be made to cover cost of administration and premium for risk of lossr. Security would be given by the farmer to the corporation by the Government having the right to remove the house if repayments were not made. The house, not being attached to the land, could be treated as a chattel, as in the case of motor-car sales. Security Provided

“The experience of a timber company over a period of over 30 years is that 5s per cent, is ample reserve to provide against bad debts in this class of trading, and no security other than the credit-worthiness of the debtor is asked for. The balance of the charge of £5 per house should be sufficient to cover cost of administration. "If the timber merchant who holds stocks of the required class of timber wished to assist any farmers who were not able to find the deposit mentioned, the timber merchant could arrange to finance the amount of the deposit by giving the usual trade terms of credit up to the amount of the value of the timber supplied. This suggestion Is made in reply to a comment made by the Minister of Housing, who asked. ‘Why should the sawmiller not finance the whole business instead of the State?’ The reason why sawmillers do not consider this class of business desirable is that it is not considered good business to give credit for the total cost of the house to efTect the sale of timber, the value of which is only about one-fifth of the total cost of the house. “The following table is based on the tender of a Hamilton builder for not fewer than six of these standardised houses as described, to be erected on any sites approachable by road in any locality within 30 miles from Hamilton. Plans and specifications of the proposed houses have been submitted to the Minister of Housing :

“The timber specified for these houses is building B. heart for stringers and joists, A. ordinary for weatherboards. floorirer and finishing lines and B. ord'narv for other framing lines. Supply of Timber "The State Forest Service in conjunction with the Sawmillers’ Federation has drawn up a list of firms carrying stocks of timber suitable for State housing. Firms from this list could be invited to make themselves responsible for calline tenders and seeing that contracts were let to responsible builders, who could he relied on to carry out the work in a proper manner within a specified time. 1 lie stocks of timber held by sawmillers and timber merchants to be subject to i inspection by the State Forest Service |to ensure the weatherboards, flooring and finishing lines being seasoned 'seasonal* meaning that the timber has been filleted for at least 4 months). All studs and joists would be gauged to correct size by passing through a planer. “All other materials should be of the t»sual standard specified in the construction of dwellings of this type. The plans and specifications for these houses provide for the usual fittings complete, ready for occupation. “There is little doubt that if the Government would launch a scheme of this description there would he a laree number of farmers who would make use of it- The fact that a housing scheme is needed for the country as

much as for the town is unquestionable. as there is no doubt that it would assist in Increasing the production of primary products by making more labour available to the farming community."

Plumbing 27.7 per cent Timber 21.0 Joinery 15.1 Carpenters 13.2 Millboard Lining Bricklayers 4.1 „ Electric Wiring, etc 3.1 „ Hardware 3.1 „ Pain t ing 1.6 Railage & Carta ge 6.3 100.0 per cent