PROBLEM OF WORKMEN'S HOMES

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 131, 5 June 1919, Page 8

PROBLEM OF WORKMEN'S HOMES

IMPORTANT OFFICIAL STATE-

MENT.

The Secretary for Labour (Mr. F. W. Rowley) gave evidence at to-day's sitting of the Parliamentary Industries Cominitteo on tlie subject of workmen's homes. Mr Rowley stated that his Department was investigating tho question of.'Jcrecting concrete houses, and for this p'jjiiose was appointing a special committe~_i»of threo experts to report upon the different systems in vogup preparatory to proceeding with the erection of an additional 200 workmen's homos. The special features ;in favour of concrete houses were greater durability, though the first cost was greater, and that they lent themselves better to standardisation. . They had a.sked for a special report from Mr. R. W do Montalk, architect, with a view to erecting 20 or 30 houses on his proposals. Reports from exports showed that concrete houses cost about 10 per cent, more to erect than houses in wood. Tlie Department adopted the contrast system for •tho erection of workmen's, lic&nes. 'Asked whether ho had any recommendation to make regarding the Department purchasing the necessary plant and erecting workmen's homes itself, witness said the Department had discussed tho question, but had come to no decision. It would bo a big thing to undertake, but if workmen's homes were to bo erected, on a big scale nc doubt; it should be done.

To Dr. Newman: If. they could build 100 houses round about Wellington scat, terod in two 3 and threes on one design they would be able to reduce tho cost per house from £966 to £800: Standardisation was undoubtedly much cheaper.

Witness, proceeding, said that the erection of workmen's homes in Now Zealand had Only been in the experimental stage until recently. The word "experimental" was used in the sense that until sufficient time had elapsed they could not say whether the occupiers would pay up their instalments; if these instalments wore not paid the system must collapse. That period had passed. Ho was now in a position to state that on tho whole of the houses that had been erected to date the arrears in payment of instalments, allowing throe weeks' grace, only amounted to 7s 7d per house por annum. The amount was remarkably small, and the position was rendered .till more satisfactory in that the arrears were more than covered in the aggregate'by what had been paid off the principal. The Department was governed in its-proposal to build, only 200 additional houses as the next instalment because insufficient labour was available in New Zealand with which to', build more. 'JHhoy simply could not get the' labour. The Department preferred to build houses for purcba.se rather than to rent, because tho purchasers were so much more satisfactory.