RURAL HOUSING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 October 1940, Page 7

RURAL HOUSING

LIMITATION OF ADVANCES. BACK COUNTRY FARMERS PENALISED. The fact that the Rural Housing Amendment Act limited advances to farmers wishing to make use of the scheme to £1250 received consideration at a meeting of the Masterton County Council yesterday afternoon. The County Clerk, Mr J. C. D. Mackley, stated that he had written to the Minister stating that a universal limitation when cartage and other costs varied according to the distance from centres would retard housing in rural areas and that in any case farmers in the back districts would be precluded from obtaining the same benefit from the scheme as those nearer towns. Mr Mackley pointed out that by adopting the cottage design made available by the Housing Construction Department at three different localities in the Masterton county the prices ranged from £ll4O to £1395. Although the designs were identical the increase was made up by extra cartage and the country allowance paid to workmen amounting from 5s to 6s per man a day. He had suggested a limit of £1,500 instead of £1,250. In reply the Minister of Housing, Mr Armstrong, stated that even in the most remote area the limit of £1,250 was rarely reached and having considered all factors the limit was reasonable. "The Minister is avoiding a reply,' said Councillor G. Moore. "It is penalising lhe men out in the back country; £1,250 near town and £1.250 40 miles out are totally different amounts when you come to build.” Councillor W. I. Armstrong: “They don't want to benefit the farming community at all." Mr R. E. Gordon Lee (chairman): “Well, lhe limit has been set. I can't see that we can do much good now.” Councillor Armstrong: "Well we must tell the farming community what their position is. The further out they are the smaller the allowance the Government gives." Councillor J. W. Colquhoun: “This ■country allowance paid to workers is a big item. Why, it's more than 30s per man a week. If six men are employed on the job it means £9 a week added to building costs quite apart from extra cartage costs.” It was decided to let the matter drop and in the event of an application being received over the limit to make further representations in the matter.