WORKERS’ DWELLINGS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1991, 17 June 1919, Page 3

WORKERS’ DWELLINGS.

WHAT ABOUT FOXTON? Mr F, W. Rowley (Superintendent of Workers’ Dwellings) last Aveek announced that authority had just been received for the erection of a first instalment of 200 Avorkers’ dAvcllings, and also for the receipt of ’applications from Avorkers earning salaries up to £225 per annum. Formerly, no application from persons earning more than £175 per annum could he entertained, so that the fixing of the nenv limit at £225 represents an important widening of the Department’s activities. “The Department,” said Mr Roavley, “is instructing its agents throughout the Dominion at once to allow a fortnight for the submission of further applications for these dwellings. It has not 200 applications in hand at present, possibly because tho former conditions of eligibility excluded the majority of the Avorkers in (bis country, or because the people knew that the Department was unable to proceed with (he construction of many homes on account of the high cost of material. The Department’s agents Avill report upon the applicants Avho come fonvard, and the Workers’ Ihvellings Board in Wellington Avill then deal with each application, approving or rejecting it. In each case close inquiry Avill be made to ensure that the applicant is of good character, and likely to carry out his financial and other obligations to the Board. Haying so dealt Avith the applications, the Board will allocate the 200 dwellings to the different toAvns according to the demand. Precedence among the approved applicants Avill be determined by the order in Avliich the applications have been received.

“It is probable that only lavo or three types of dAvcllings Avill be erected, since the Department is anxious to introduce a measure of standardisation, and so economise on the cost of erection. As I have stated before, the Department hopes to be able to build in concrete rather than in Avood, because concrete, though dearer at first, is in the long run cheaper than Avood. We are at present, by the Avay, investigating quite a large number of proposed systems of construction.

Having called for and received tenders for the building of 200 houses, the Department Avill ascertain whether the prices are reasonable, and Avhethcr the applicants Avill 1)0 able to make the payments involved. It may be explained that the Aveekly instalments payable on concrete houses are based upon repayment of the principal in 3OF years. They amount to 0 per cent., with rates, insurance, and maintenance, bringing them up to seven per cent, in all. Thus, on a concrete house costing £750, the applicant Avould have to pay £t per Aveek. The period of repayment of principal on wooden dwellings is only 25F years; so the rate is necessarily higher than that for repayment upon concrete dwellings. It amounts to 7 per cent., plus rates, insurance, and maintenance —in all, to about 8A per cent. Therefore, on a wooden dAvelling costing, say, £7OO, the weekly payment Avould he 23s per Aveek.

“It remains to be seen whether, when the cost of building is so high, the Department can obtain tenders sufficiently low to enable it to erect houses at a figure within the statutory limit of £750 for house and section, and at a figure the applicants will he aide to pay. To avoid monotony in the appearance of its houses, the Department proposes to distribute them about in twos and threes, and vary their front appearance slightly.” [Up to the present no application lias boon made to include Foxton as one of the centres for the erection of workers’ dwellings. Yet as an industrial centre this is one of the places which should receive special attention. There arc quite a number of suitable sections within the borough whereon buildings could be erected under the scheme, and there is no doubt- that the applications for such dwellings would bo. in excess of the buildings likely to be erected. Possibly it is too late for Foxton to be considered in the 200 cottages about to be erected, but we would suggest that the Mayor get into communication with the Superintendent and endeavour to have Foxton included in the scheme,. —Ed.IL]