HOMES FOR WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2332, 14 December 1914, Page 7

HOMES FOR WORKERS

FIRST OF A NEW BLOCK ATTRACTIVE DWELLINGS AT TAITVILLE Pleasing evidence of the efforts of the New Zealand Government to provide homes for the workers of this country may be found at Taitville, a suburb adjacent to Northland. There, on a site commanding a delightful view of the city and harbour, 14 attractive residences have just been completed, and the owners are about to move in. The land was acquired under the Workers' Dwellings Act, and these are the first dwellings erected on the block. They will be followed by ten .others, which probably will be ready for occupation by March next. The houses just.finished were commenced in September, and have been built out of money voted during the last session of Parliament. Workers' dwellings are, of course, available only to those whose annual income is less than £175, and who are landless. Under the old Act a limit of £600 was fixed as the capital value of the house and land, but recently the Massey Government extended the'limit to £750. These houses, however, were undertaken before the extension to £750 was made, and they are all valued (land included) at a shade under £600. Eleven of them are assessed at £599, two at £596, and one at £595. The tenants purchase their places by paying from 16s. 9d. per week, in some cases, to 175., in other cases, just as they pay rent to private landlords. This' light weekly payment secures them the property in 25£ years. - A road had to be made for the Taitville block. It cost £2000, and this expense was added to the capital value of the holdings. The road is called Disley Street. The houses_ are very comfortable, and the convenience of the owners has been studied in almost every way. The owners were allowed to choose'their own wall-papers and various fittings, and were given every facility to arrange things to their liking. In most instances very good taste has been displayed, particularly in the choice of papers, nearly all of which' are plain. Patent air grates, tiled grates, enamelled baths, electric light, eleotric irons, hot and cold water, drying cupboards— these are some of the modern conveniences with which the houses are fitted. All'the dwellings were erected by Mr. F.E. Cooper, builder, of Wellington, and the owners have expressed great satisfaction with the work. Ono of the owners is a mechanic, who seems likely to be a most enterprising and very ingenious householder. He seleoted a section, the configuration of which necessitated a large basement to tho house. Here he is installing a nine-horse-power engine, with the aid of which he is going to establish a suction system of cleaning the whole house. Carpets, mats, and everything else are to be cleaned without the trouble of removing them, and without brooming or beating. . The same power will drive the wood saw and serve the workshop in various ways. And while the engine is going, the mechanic will switch off the City electric current (which he has to pay for) and generate his own light (which he will get really without expense). .. . '

There are now about 50 workers' dwellings erected by the State in Wel-lington—twenty-five 'at Island. Bay, a dozen at Coromandol Street, and fourteen at •Taitville.

During the last session of Parliament £100,000 was voted for workers' dwellings, and" the expenditure of £98, 000 has already been mapped out.