RURAL HOUSING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 242, 10 September 1940, Page 8

RURAL HOUSING.

KAIKANGA COUNTY LOAN. The Kairanga County Council decided to-day to raise a Joan of £IO,OOO from the State Advances Corporation with which to grant advances to farmers under the Rural Housing Act. Following a full explanation of the scheme by tlie clerk (Mr N. I. Nielson), who pointed out that several other county councils had decided to raise such 'loans, Cr. M. AV. Voss expressed the view that the council would get nothing out of the scheme and would be loading a good deal of extra 'work on the clerk. The councillors were there to attend to roads and bridges, not to act as a medium of exchange between the Government and farmers in a housing scheme. “This is the thin end of the wedge leading toward State ownership,” ho added. The chairman (Cr. AA . R. Hopcroft) agreed that the council did not desire to be bothered with granting housing advances. However, some councils had already passed a special order applying for loan moneys. Much ot the information they had received on tlie subject appeared to be contradictory. Cr. D. Coll is considered the council should be sure of what it was doing before it committed, the ratepayers to a loan.- . There was some doubt expressed as to whether the council was compelled to enter the scheme, Cr. Lynch remarking that it appeared to he a moral obligation on councils. A special order in connection with, raising the loan was passed, and members representing the different mango were appointed committees to consider applications for loans, prior to their submission to the council.