The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1919. HOUSES FOR WORKERS.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 June 1919, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1919. HOUSES FOR WORKERS.

With which its incorporated “The Taihape Post and Waimarino News.”

Government has decided to erect two hundred workers.-’ dwellings at once; this is a commencement, and hundreds of others are to follow if the demand warrants the Governiiient voting money for the purpose. We Want 110 further evidence than that we possess to state that if one hundl'ed houses Were erected in this town they‘ would ‘all ‘be taken Within a month or thel'eabout. But the houses the Government will erect are only to be commenced after bona fidc workers have applied for them in the way prescribed by regulations. In-many ways the worker is a bold, sometimes thoughtless agitator for what he thinks is to his advantage, but he has viewed with some distrust and want of faith : the provisions for his benefit in the Loans to Workers enactments, and we want to tell him that this distrust and want of faith is entirely inisguided. During the war it was natural that caution would have to be exercised, still the Department has never ceased its lending. We desire to direct attention of workers in this district to the fact that the Government has recently made their lending proposals much more attractive and considerably widened their scope by‘ raising the "aborrowers earnings to £225 per annum, so that any man earning just over four pounds a week becomes: eligible for having a house erected for him in which every healthful consideration has been provided for. There are plenty of workmen hereabout who can now take advantage of the WOl-kers’ Dwellings provisions, and we trust that every man so placed will apply to have a modern, sanitary home erected in which his Children may 1373' reared in healthful surroundings_ The cost of these dwellings. cannot be definitelyfixed but the ‘Minister has publicly stated that he is aiming at erecting a five—roonled house at fifteen shillings per week_ The desire of the Department is to build in damp-proof concrete, which renders the structure almost everlasting, and although it is believed the cost. will not ‘be much greater, if any, than wood the selling value of such a building, owing to its less destructibility, its increased comfort and stability, will be very much increased. It is proposed to build what houses are allotted to Taihape applicants within the Borough, or so close to the Borough boundary that they are equally near to the centre of the town. All the man who wants a house that is to be his own property, from which nobody can eject him so long as he pays the weekly interest; on cost in the sfgape of rent, is to apply to Sergeant Matthews, who represents the Labour De—} partment in Taihape, get the form,j fill it up with help that sei-geanij Matthews will willingly -give, make the 1 declaration that his wages do not ex-} ceed £225 a year, and he has done] all that is required of him. His application will be dealt with by the authorities on the 16th July, and he will thereafter ‘be promptly advised of{ the decision. We urge workers to take advantage of this extension of Gov-1; Ornmcnt lending, because we are: convinced that the Borough Council; cannot erect dwellings on more fav-l ourable terms than the GOVOI'11Ill0nt;i it cannot borrow at so low an interest, l and it is not in a. position at present; to take advantage of any arrange-! ment for the supply of materials at a‘: bedrock price. Moreover, whatevert advantage of the Government; offer His ‘taken will relieve the Borough ‘aflthorities of some of the responsibflity they feel in connection with this; housing problem. We would impress; “DPH Wdrkers that houses acquired in thls Way are just as much their as if they had them built in any other‘ gay; no person can interfere with‘ em_ so long as an honest effort is made to keep interest due paid up; ‘ Should any worker be compelled to leave the district he can sell his ]‘\l\lu-. _._LJ.£_... ...I._i-, -

fected. There are no harrassing conditions, neither is there. any “nosepoking, of which some people seem afraid ;the house and land is the workers and no person on earth can take it from him so long as the interest on cost is paid according to the arrangement entered into with the Government_ It is estimated that if some six to twelve houses are applied for by Taihape workers the cost of erection of a five-roomed house Will not exceed £650, even if built in concrete. This means that a Wol‘kol’ getting four pounds a. week will Ibe able to purchase his OWH 1111-to-date five—roomed house by Paying interest and principle at the rate of 16/ a week, that is 6 per cent on the total cost of concrete structure. We urge workers to avail themselves of this opportunity because We are convin.ced that nothing can, or will, be offered that is more advantageous, and it is the most insane speculation to hold back waiting for better opportunities and terms. We have no hesitation in saying that as reconstruction of the devastated part of the world proceeds, so will money commence to appreciate, and it will become more difiieult to negotiate loans. Men wha profess to be agitating in the interests of Workers are largely insincere or fools, in that they do not realise: that it is not Governments they should assail, but the huge combinations of capital called trusts and Combines against which even Governments are powerless. If We are to have revolution let it be against these trusts and combines that are not only ruining national industries and thereby sucking the life-blood of workers, but are rendering Governments powerless to control their processes of robbery. The New Zealand Govcrrimentis, at the very least, honest in its efforts to humanely house the Dominion’s workers, and we hope workers will realise this fact, and also realise that no better terms are possible now or,t'or a long way into the future, than those that are at present offering,‘ As houses are to be granted in priority of application it _is advisable that not a minute Vbellost in interviexving Sergeant Matthews. on the subject.