WORKERS' HOUSING.

Taihape Daily Times, 15 October 1919, Page 3

WORKERS ' HOUSING.

PROVISIONS OF THE BILL. The Workeis’ Housing Bill was read a lirst time in the House of Representatives shortly before 4 a.m. on Saturday. It provides for the: Repeal -of the Work- . ers’ Dwellings Act, 1910, and the Amending Act, replacing them with :3. measure giving greater powers and providing that, in all, £2,250,000 may be box-1-oxvcéd for the purpose of the Act. that is to be. ‘ A superintendent and deputy—superinteildeut. of housing and a Housing Board are to be appointed; and the first occupants -of these positions will be the superintendent and deputysuperintendent and lil.embel‘s of the VVorkers’ Dwellings Board. Provisions for the purchase -of land and erection and sale of lease of dwellings are made in somewhat modified form. The qualification -of a worker to come under the scheme is to be an income not exceeding £225 per ‘annum for G 1 3)el'xon_ with not more than two Childreii (under 16 years), or other persons dependent on him, an increase of 1520 being :?.‘.§-owed for each additional child or other‘ dependent, up to a maximum of. £305.

' The cost of the dwelling to the purchaser is not to exceed £750 in case of a. wooden building, or £BSO in any other case. Time payments, with a deposit of £lO may be spread over 25% ycars for wooden, and 36} years’ for other dwellings. Interest is at 6-?_, pzr cent, with a 3 per cent. rebate for prompt payment. Up to £IOO may be advanced by way of loan for improuvement to land appurtenant to dwellings. \Veel:ly or monthly tenancies are also provided for. The Board may sell land held by it and not required for workers’ dwel"ings. The Minister for Finanoezmay ‘borrow £750,000 annually for the purpose of this part of the Act. Special settlements for public serxzmts are provided for. An association of public servants may receive financial assistiinee to establish village settlements or _ga.i"d(‘-n suburbs. Crown land may be set .apart. or piivate land purchased. for this purpose. Adxiances up to 90 per cent of the va.lue"i-Cf, the land and improvements may be made to individual menlbers of such an association. Such loans may be repayable by installments over thirty years, with interest not exceed-in-9: 5-}. per cent. deduetablc from the sa.lal‘y of the ot‘l’i.eex'. For the purpose of this part of the Act £250,000 may he borrowed'eae.h year. Loans to employers for workers’ dwellings mm‘ he mu,‘-. \vl{.h the 39--vvoval of the ";\l’inistel', to apply to such industries as may be -specified. Up to 75 Der cent 01% the value of the security ‘offered may ‘he z~_:lv.;-uirterl. For this purHose £250,000 may be borrowed. T_T:—nhoor 80.-nwlg are empoyered to ere-et (‘l\\'ellings and dispose of them to ""'H'l<«“-'*' in the pe‘-mnnent employment at‘ the Board. Harbour Fioar-.5 :m«, en.po\wrecl to borrow money from the State Advances ”\t”i~e far the erection of wol'l;el's’ dweliin<_rs. For the Imr,r=n-.<;‘ of nialiizig sneh aclvrmees the M'ni::t.m_~ to" Finanee may “m:')'oW :3. million :1 year.