Housing Workers.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 21 December 1918, Page 3

Housing Workers.

MANAWATU COUNTY'S POLICY.

Or. Ponny brought up tho question of bettor housing for the workmen of the Counoil at the meeting of the Manawatu County Council on Wednesday. He said that .lie considered that somo scheme, should be brought forward by which the workmen should be allowed to purchase a dwelling with a. few acres of land adjoining. £700 would purchase a house and Jive acres of land, and the occupier, by keeping a cow, a horse, pigs and a garden could mako the interest of £1 per week. He was certain that men returning from the front would not bo satisfied with the old stato of affairs, and would not live in ramshackle buildings. Labourers :if not better treated would not remain in the country, and more men were 'required in the district. If bettor treated men would take more interest in their labour and their conditions I of ilifo would be much better.

The Chairman agreed with C't". Penny. They could loan money for the purpose of building tho cottages or build tho cottages and rent them to the workmen.

Ci\ Penny said that it was impossible to keep single men on the farms.

The Chairman said ho certainly thciight that they should build cot- | tages. If men in the district who required cottages applied to tho Council, and who had purchased suitable land, the Council would then finance or assist in the building of a cottage. C'r. Penny moved, and Cr. Huntseconded: "That it lie made public that if any county employee wishes to buy an allotment of not more than five acres, for the purpose of building a dwelling fhe Council will, under the Counties Act, advance money if the Council can under the Act borrow it for such a purpose."—Carried.