HOMES FOR WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3035, 23 March 1917, Page 7

HOMES FOR WORKERS

STATE SCHEME

COMING YEAR'S PROGRAMME

From answers to inquiries made at the Labour Department yesterday, it is gathered that the policy to be followed this year with regard to the building of homes for-workers has not yet been decided' upon, Tho subject has been considered, and report has been made to the Government, but it may be some time, before a'definite announcment is made.

It is understood that the position this year is regarded as being a good deal different from the position' in former years. First of all the cost of building houses is muoli greater now than - formerly. .. Another important fact is that men to do tho building cannot be obtained so freely now. So it will have to bo considored befoio next year's operations aro mapped out how far these altered circumstances ■have affected ■ tho working of tho scheme. With the high cost of building, it will not. be possible to. allow•workers to get houses at the samo Vrent" as they could have them in cheaper days, and the point will, arise for discussion as to whether tho authorities would bo justified in allowing mea to assume rather heavy responsibilities in war time. . ..

The man who gets a worker's dwelling is in receipt of not more than £3 7s. a week, and it is possible for his weekly payments to run into about itthird of his income. , - The demand for the dwellings is not quit® as' 1 great just now as in previous years. However; there are some applicants still waiting to be accommodated, and tenders are now being invited for . seven , houses to be erected -in the suburbs of Wellington. Four of the . seven are to be. built at Kilbimie, frvo at' Petone, and one at Wadcstown. When it is said that, tliey are to be built it is meant that they are to bo proceeded with if the tenders' are considered reasonable. When these houses are finished, tliere will'still bo eight vacant , sections in the Kilbimie purchase, but it. is not known what the intention is regarding them. - It is considered certain that the mat-, ter of finance ivill weigh when a- programme for the year.is toeing framed. Last year £55,000 was granted for the •building of these dwellings, and in the previous year £100,000 was allotted. •Almost tie whole of the amount set aside for the purpose last year' has been spent, or is being spent. •