COUNTRY WORKERS' HOMES

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1817, 1 August 1913, Page 5

COUNTRY WORKERS' HOMES

A. SCHEME FOR TIIE GOVERNMENT. National doss is said to result from unsatisfactory conditions far rural workers. This point was elaborated at tho Agricultural. Societies' Conference yesterday in tpe-cciics which followed on a. motion which read "That tho Government should bo urged to encourage and assist farm labourers to niako hemes lor themselves in ru<\al districts, and more paidituJarly to intwluco such legislation us will enable tho Govelement and county oouncils. to take joint and co-operative 'action in furthcro'iics cl' this end." Tho mover, Mr. Join Studholmc, of Ashburton, contended that an adequate supply of farm labour was-essentia! to tiiaisucce-saol'tho ai'ricuEtural industries ef tho country',, and ho said that ut present such a supply we.s not available. Til are was less chance of a rural worker marrying within a reasonable time than thcro* was ct' almost any other class of worker doing so. In fact, about 59 per cent, of tliem never married, and this re-, suited in a national loss, as those who. TOuJd best maintain tho moral and physical fibre of the country were the children of the fiinall farmer. Mr. J. D. Hall, of CSirislcliurcli, saul tluit the matter of providing greater comfort for agricultural workers was one or great importance to Ilia State. Until a law years ago ho had tailed to realise tlio great need for totter accommodation, Tho necessity being realised, the question was one of method, and in this he. preferred to a straight-out State system an extension of tho powers of loral authorities for tlio purpose, and he thought that theso lxidies should be to finance their schemes through tlio State. Mr. J. G. Wilson, who suppwtou tho rr-'oliUion, said that lie wondered wh.r tlio Government did not utilise the county councils more than had been done in the past, and lie remarked that he would like to fee the councils rise above ' tho usual reading problem (though roading was a very real problem in a new country), and do something of tho kind aimed ;it ill tlio motion. t A wish to f« the idea carried out through the county councils, with the aid of the State, was expressed by Mr .1. C. N. Grieg, of Loncrbeach, Canterbury, Messrs. 10. Hall (Auckland), .1). I). Maefarlano (Christchnreli), .1. C. N. Griff? (•jhristchurcli), and John Studbolnio (Ashburton) were appointed to drail a workable scheme for ' promoting tho provision of homes for workers in country district?, and to submit the same to tho Government on behalf of the conference,