HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1923, Page 2

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. thm housing bill. LONDON. April 20. In discussion the Housing Bill Sir Alfred Mond regretted that Mr Chamberlain had not evolved a bolder plan. Several Labour members spoke feelingly, criticising the sire ol the subsidised bouses. Mr Kirkwood sail! bis family lived in three rooms. .Mr Wheatley said be bad lived in the slums as one of eleven occupying a single room. Mr (fucst said the object of the Bill was to give the local authorities a treer band. 'l'llK HOUSING BILL. ITS PROPOSALS OUTLINED. LONDON, April 211. Mr Newlle Chamberlain in moving the second reading of the Housing Bill in the House of Commons said that the origin of - the bousing shortage in Britain dated back to 1000. Between then and the war. the annual provision of small bouses tel! trom SO,OO!I to 4b,000, but at the outbreak of war 130,000 bouses were empty. Before 11100 private builders bad elaborate machinery under which buildings from savings, could be financed r.n tradesmen, clerks and artisans, but the consilience underlying the maeliinorv was first- shaken and then sbaileied, not so quirk by Mr Lloyd George’s 1009 Budget but by Mr Lloyd George's campaign of devastating eloquence in connect ion with that budget. Ibe small builder must be reinstated. Hence the plan to assist him by means of subsidies. Kortunately private building was now functioning again and costs were declining. The Bill proposed subsidies, firstly to the local authorities building schemes, and secondlv to assist, people to build their own bouses, lie did Dot expect the Bill would enable the arrears of building to be overlaid n in a couple ol years, but be believed that ll would encourage private enterprise and stimulate a general desire among the people t i own their bouses. Tile debate was adjourned.