FARM-WORKERS' HOMES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1645, 11 January 1913, Page 8

FARM-WORKERS' HOMES.

'j : rPREMIER : CONSIDERING A;SCHEME.; v'. :' A scheme for.the establishment pf courir : ; .try. workers' .homes' put forward by' tho -. Auckland branch of, the Now.! Zealand ;y. ..Farmers Union/is receiving .the considora- :;••.'" tion of the Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. ,!.';: Massey),- who. ; has asked that,the scheme ;■ shall bo presented to him in definite form'. ■ The. president - of-the. union, .(Major ■.:,;t ■'.'Lust) thus,explains the objects:and-'6ug- '■'■'':■; gestedvniethods for tho'working 'Of- tho scheme:—The objects are to provide homes '. !'; in .the country for woikorsVjfho will not -'~-. be solely dependent "on, the work : obtaini able in a districtj/to provide casual lab- ; our for .districts;whero 'it is.required; to ".'-,•:'■; .offer-inducement to married men capable ;•',-"■ of general farm "work to.remain-in a dis- ?■/■ trict by: the'knowledge that the life is ..;: -better m:every way/and that their griev- . ■: ances are .'lighter. .'Then they have the !-'.!' opportunity of reariDga healthy family, •;,! and that their interests are identical with ■'■','; their 1 employers; that, by .being thrifty- :,.[■■/. and conforming to certain'conditions they , -.'•■'■ can purchase! the freehold of tho ljjnd nn- ■;':■ i.der the easiest conditions, thus providing '-, !,:ot least;-a living.in' itself if farmed right; ~': v ; .that by. .being producers themselves, and !;i'Vtlius advancing an industry, the success of ,:/-which:New: Zealand i& practically depen•V dent upon,- they will assist the progress .of :;!!,.the country;-'' '■ ; -;: , ' '••. ■',•'"'. -'■ '■''.- '■", -."The reason why the scheme is suggested .: .is that, with the! exception!,of unskilled '■: r.farm. hands :and! apprentices, or' cadets, - ..: ;..the farmer cannot compete in the labour a-./market.with the towns, ..the latter offering ,- -;;,moreValluring'f"inducements. Thus the - :, .broken or casual labour, which'•'.'.fcould -t! afford the'highest Tvage, is hard .to pro- :; cure, and, in some districts, unobtainable. ,' : fl : consequently, those, who-would-be larger.. '•:' '■ ""■: producers refrain ; .owing j' to .the,uucer.!•;!;.'tainty of having their crops harvested. ';: ,'■"The!suggestions.for.the; accomplishment ;''.':! of ,tho scheme are .of interest,"VThe Gov- :!'. '.is asked.to. provido land in dis- - •' tricts requiring labour and to. erect suit- ... able cottages thereon,'- the area for each ■t .home to be not.less than five'acres of A.-.'first-class land, but should the quality of I ,', ■■ ■ the land'decrease, then there shouldbe an .'!; increase of: area accordingly,' and in -no .';:■; '''case more thali 30,acres,of inferior; It is .'..'// suggested that.'the.,tenure under,!which! "■■■ '.!'..'■ tho Government should offer these sections :' ~: shpuld be O.R.P. 1 The union advises that !.!"..the: applicant should ■ have acknowledge : : . of farming .arid'bo bound to:'conditions :'-..' agreeable to the Government for the carry-.-ing out, successfully, of-the scheme/and :!: : --;.thus reachthe aims for which,it was in- .' tended. vThe determination of-where those :' small, holdings should bo established/it :! !i; ig recommended, should be the-request ,: v ! -from'--districts- that would -avail : them-! •::;:,:' ■'!■ selves of! the' advantages of such a scheme, :','- : . !aifi from responsible;set-' '<; -tler9.arrived at by a majority,, a,Govern- >''! .mart-inspector, 1 with the settlers~guaran- ;'. teeing the interest,:should then'debide the ■> number of sections to be which ! ■; '-. : ,6nould,'.'on!':no . account;"exceed the ' :re- '■' quirements of the district. Upon the. •.':' : . completion' of 'the survey and erection of ".•..the. cottages thereon, the Government 'V. should hand; control of thopro- ,:;'• perty to a recognised committee of the • guarantors, the Government to Tctain the - .right to resume the control of the pro-' ::.'perty !at.any-time upon relieving the '•'■ guarantors of all responsibility. :, •