HOUSING OF WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 130, 26 February 1919, Page 4

HOUSING OF WORKERS

THE ACT OF 1910 ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY The status of applicants under the Workers' Dwellings Act, 1910, was recently brought under the notice of the Hon. W. H. Hemes, Acting-Minister of Labour, by Mr. S. A. Wright, M.P. for Wellington Suburbs. • "The workers of Wellington," wrote Mr. Wright to the Minister, "who are anxious to take advantage of the provisions of the AVorkere' Dwellings Act, 1910, are in a very awkward position. The Act defines a worker as a, person whose earnings at the time of his application do not exceed ,£175 per annum. This amount was based on pre-war .earnings. Since the war, ■ owing to the inI creased cost of living, some men formerly in receipt of ,£175 per annum, or less, have received increases which place them outside the J3175 limit, and they are i ot as -well off as they were prior, to 1914. Because, however,, of their increased earnings they are prevented from enjoying the benefits of the Workers' Dwellings Act. As houses are unobtainable in Wellinuton and congestion is rife, can anything be done to give relief? I suggest that a war regulation might bo gazetted permitting a worker to apply for a dwelling even though his present wages exceed £175 per annum. Sucli a step on the part of the Government would assist many deserving workers' who wish to secure homes for themselves and their families, and who at the present time are forced to live in lodgings, owing to the houses they formerly iccupipd being sold 'by the owners." Mr. Wright has now received a reply from the Minister stating: "I nave made inquiries in this matter, and find that the Workers' Dwellings Board has already recommended an extension of this amount by legislation, and it will be referred to the Eight Hon. Mr. kaesey for his consideration in time for next session of Parliament. The question of dealing with the matter in the meantime by some war regulation has also been looked into, and I regret that there is no power to act in this manner. The Workers' Dwellings Board has, however, made it a practice to disregard any etms earned by anplicanf workers by way of bonuses or allowances, following the ruling of the Judge of the Arbitration Court that war bonuses are not deemed to be wages. The board has dealt with a num. ber of applicants in this way.