WORKERS’ HOWIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9790, 13 October 1917, Page 7

WORKERS’ HOWIES

A NIGGARDLY VOTE BURDEN OF HEAVY RENTS ON THE WORKERS. A strong plea was made by Sir John Findlay in the House of Representatives yesterday during tlio discussion on the Public Works Estimates for more generous attention to tho building of workers’ homes. Tho war had opened tho eyes of tho people to the fact that when money was wanted for groat national purposes very little difficulty was encountered in getting it. He was sure that for work of such pressing and. national importance as tho building of workers’ homes more than £20,000 could bo got. The importance was greater because of increasing rents, and tho enormous burden they imposed on tho worker, who was in mlany oases paying rents which absorbed nearly half of his whole income. If some moans were devised for protecting the workers against payment of these extortionate rents it would go largely to relieve tho pressure of the high cost of living. He know tilio Government was doing its best considering the pressure of finance, but more extensive steps Should be taken in this matter. '..Mr Massey: “It is not so much finance, it is the cost of materials." Sir John: ‘‘Yes, but that in turn is expressed in finance." Mr Massey: “Rent has to be proportionate to tho cost of building." Sir John. “Yes, but here you have one of the true solutions of what perhaps is tho most pressing difficulty of to-day, and when the time comes I hope the Government will give tho subject the attention which it rightly demands."