WORKERS' DWELLINGS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 164, 5 April 1919, Page 8

WORKERS' DWELLINGS

6 ■ COUNCIL'S "DEATH-BED liEPENTANCJ3." ■ At the meeting of the City Council on Thursday evening Councillor H. A. Wright, M.P., asked what was the exact position of the City Council's proposition (o build' workers' homes at Lyull Buy. There was a good- deal of talk in the city lis to what the City Council was not doing in tho matter. The Mayor, in reply, stated that the conditions during war-timo were not favourable to going on with such a big work. ' There were financial and labour difficulties which prevented them going ahead, but he trusted that tho now conn- • cil would give the matter early consideration, both as to the building of workers' homes for tramway men and others at Lyall Bay, and also on the council's hind at Adelaide Eoad. Councillor W- H. Bennett raised a vigorous protest against tho dilatorincss of the councii in respect to tho buildinz of workers' homes. A committee had been appointed, and it had only been called together once. Tho Mayor sialyl that Councillor Bennett was quite wrong. Mr. Morton had brought down a report on tho matter, and Mr. Ames had, reported on values, unci after going into it a resolution had been passed to defer tho question Councillor C. B. Norwood pointed out that Mr. Morton's report only dealt with the proposal to do away with some of the- slum areas, but.did not solve tho housing questiou. Councillor Hildreth was interested in tho death-bed repentance of the council. He thought the committee should liavo done something in the matter. Councillor Castle spoko of the "camouflage" the councillors were exercising iust before (he election. Tho Mavor said the report of Mr. Morton hud been brought down on January 28, and provided for tho building of AH) houses. The icport, as they all knew, provided for the spending of half a million of money. That report was before' the council. Voices: No, only the committee. The Mayor persisted that it was before the council, and recalled the fact that it was decided that it could not be published as people. would get to know which properties were to be dealt with. Several councillors urged that they had never seen the report; that they were merely told that they could see it on application to the Town Clerk. The Mavor said that every document was open to nny councillor. He instanced the great difficulty experienced in gotting committees to meet. As a matter of fact, there were not enough davs in the week to get all the committee meetings in.