WORKERS’ DWELLINGS (REPORT ON, BY THE HON. THE MINISTER OF LABOUR).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1907 Session I, H-11b

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1907. NEW ZEALAND.

WORKERS’ DWELLINGS (REPORT ON, BY THE HON. THE MINISTER OF LABOUR).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 20 of " The Workers' Dwellings Act, 1905."

t ~i , Wellington, 24th June 1907 H /™fh wT'n submit reports from Mr. W. C. Kensington, late Chairman of the Board under tee Workers Dwellings Act, and Mr. James Mackay, the present Chairman, on the working of the Act during the year ending the 31st March, 1907. I also attach a report from Mr. J. E March Inspector of Workers' Dwellings, together with a return showing the number of dwellings erected, the area and value of the land on which they are built, cost of buildings and fencing the number of dwellings leased, the area of land on which the leased dwellings are built the monthly rent, and the rent paid to the 31st March last. J. A. Millak Minister of Labour. Slß,— T • , . Wellington, Bth June, 1907 tn . h it t aCCOrdan f ee Wlt + h se °"°" 2p of " The Workers' Dwellings Act, 1905," I have the honour to submit for your information the following information for the financial year 1906-7 and though my connection with the Advisory Board as Chairman ceased on the Ist'February I under stand it is your wish that I should furnish you on this occasion with a report. The money expended in acquiring land was ... 658 17 6 The money expended in preparing land for workers' dwellings and in erecting dwellings £ a. d. was, out of Land for Settlements Funds ... 26,894 1 10 And upon ordinary Crown lands ... ... 1 (j ; 30,627 3 4 Total ••• ••• ••• •■• ... 31,286 010 The total number of dwellings erected has been ... 71 The total number leased to 31st March was ... "' 52 The number leased under section 9 of "The Workers' Dwellings Act 1905," was ... ... ... ... oo The dwellings erected in the several chief centres are as follows :— Erected. „, leased to Otahuhu and Ellerslie, Auckland 20 March, 1907. Petone, Wellington ... ... ... 25 17 Sydenham, Christeliurch io 10 Windle, Dunedin ... ... '.'.', '." "/ \± i^. ; * Kight taken up since.3lst Maicli. I have, &c, Wμ. C. Kensington. mi h Tv wi »#• ■ ±t , Late Chairman of Advisory Board The Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister of Labour, Wellington. SlE '— _ . Department of Labour, Wellington, 22nd June, 1907 1 have the honour, in accordance with " The Workers' Dwellings Act, 1905 " to submit a report on the working of the Act since I was appointed Chief Advisory Officer in February Previous to that time, as you are aware, I was a member of the Board of which Mr Kensincton was Chairman, and he has already furnished you with a report up to that date " ensm % lon In place of the old Board it was arranged by you that the Commissioners of Crown Lands in each of he four centres together with the Inspectors of Factories, and Mr. J. E. March shou d act as a local Board with myself as Chairman, and that the general supervision of the erection of these dwellings was to be under the care of the Labour Department. Early in March Mr Woburn Temple, of Auckland, was appointed Architect to the Department, and his first duties were to prepare plans and specifications for the erection of more cottages at Sydenham (Christ church), and also for the Coromandel Street block at Wellington. I hope to be able toreport to you shortly that a start has been made with the erection of houses at both places The style of the houses has been generally approved, and considerable astonishment has been expressed that such comfortable and pretentious houses could be erected for the money and let at such low rentals. The scheme will, lam sure, prove an unqualified success, provided the land selected be either in close proximity to the workers' employment or the cost of transit is low from

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the dwellings to the centre of the city in which they are built. In order that smaller houses at a very low rental may be available, it is intended that some of the houses now to be erected will havethree and four rooms, but will be fitted up with all modern conveniences, including the hot-water system. They will, however, be less ornamental outside. Great difficulty is experienced in getting suitable land close to Wellington City. The price of the land offered for the purpose, compared with similar sites in other centres, is invariably higher. As my term of office covers only the short period of two months—that is, February and March of this year —my report is necessarily very brief; but next year I hope to submit a more comprehensive report on the working of the Act. During the recess there will probably be several amendments to the Act to be considered that will tend towards its improvement. I have, &c, J. Mackay, The Hon. the Minister of Labour. Chief Advisory Officer. Beport on Workers' Dwellings throughout the Colony. During the past financial year 71 workers' dwellings have been erected—namely, 20 at Auckland, 25 at Wellington, 12 at Christchurch, and 14 at Dunedin. These at the 31st March had been let, with the exception of 1 at Auckland, 8 at Wellington, and 10 at Dunedin. In the latter case some of the dwellings were not ready for occupation until after the 31st March, but have been finished and let since. The twenty-five dwellings at Petone, Wellington, were open for application on the 10th September, 1906, but were not readily applied for, partly on account of the distance from the city, partly on account of the class of building (as many of the houses were two-story), and partly on account of what was considered by city workers as a high rent, when the insurance of the dwelling, local rates, and railway fares were added to the rent chargeable under the Act—namely, 5 per cent, on the capital value. Seventeen of the twenty-five buildings were taken up by the 31st March last, and four more have since been applied for and are now occupied. The twenty dwellings at Auckland comprise five at Otahuhu and fifteen at Ellerslie. The site in both cases is admirable. The dwellings were open for application on the 22nd October, 1906, and were fairly well applied for. On the 31st March they were all let, with the exception of one at Ellerslie. The houses are very comfortable, and the tenants are apparently well satisfied. The twelve dwellings at Sydenham, Christchurch, were open for application on the 11th February last, and there was a good demand for them. Thirty-eight applications were received, and thirty-one applicants were admitted to the ballot. During a recent inspection all the tenants stated they were very comfortable. The fourteen* dwellings at Windle were open for application on the 21st January last. Although the demand for these houses when they first opened was not very keen, they have all been applied for since, and are now occupied. The rents for the dwellings vary from 9s. 4d. to 10s. 7d. at Auckland, from 9s. Bd. to 10s. sd. at Wellington, from 9s. 3d. to 10s. Bd. at Sydenham, and from 9s. 3d. to 10s. 3d. at Dunedin. The class of tenants throughout the colony is very good, and many of them express gratitude for what the Government has done for them in this direction. All the houses are of five rooms, known under the regulations as Class B, but there are several different designs. Some of these have every convenience and are excellent in every way. J. E. Mabch, J. Mackay, Esq., Chairman, Inspector and Supervisor. Advisory Board, Workers' Dwellings, Wellington.

Return of the Number of Dwellings erected, the Area and Value of the Land on which they are built, and the Cost of the Buildings and Fencing; also the Number of Dwellings leased, the Area of Land on which the Leased Dwellings are built, the Monthly Rent, and the Amount paid to the 31st March last, with the Arrears outstanding on the Same Date.

J. E. March, Inspector and Supervisor. Appioccimnlr Vost nr Paper.— Preparation, not giren ; printing (1,750 copies), £1 13s. 6d. By Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington. — l9o7. Price 3d.]

Settlement. District. Area and Value of the Area Number Land on which Buildings Number Land Monthly of are erected. .^AV f 1 * "•, of on which Rent Dwellinee wpnnfnp ' Dwellings I Leased of Leased ereoted. Denning. leased. jDwellings Dwellings. Area. Value. are built. Amount paid to 31st March 1907. Arrears. I a. b. i>. i £ s. d. £ 8. d. Eccleston No. 2, Auckland .. 5 1 3 34! 480 0 011,927 0 0 8 Otahuhu Laurj, Ellerslie „ .. 15 8 1 9 1,570 0 0i 5,600 0 0 14 Heretaunga, Pβ- ; Wellington 25 2 1 16 2,500 0 OJ 9,368 0 0 17 tone Sydenham .. Chriatchuroh 12 2 2 37 ■ 1,005 0 0! 4,714 0 0 12 Windle .. Dunrdin .. 14 2 2 11 i 1,410 0 0 5,287 17 8 4 Totals .. 71 12 8 27 I 6,P65 0 026,896 17 8 52 I I A. B. P. 1 3 34 8 0 23 1 2 14 m s. a. 10 18 4: 30 10 0 1 36 18 9 £ s. d. - 89 8 1 106 4 6 £ s. d. Nil. 2 2 37j 0 2 7 25 4 7 8 10 0 21 4 7 9 8 35 112 1 8 216 17 2

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PHOTOGRAPHS OF SOME OF THE HOMES ERECTED UNDER THE WORKERS' DWELLINGS ACT.

Sydenham, Christchurch. Rent, £2 0s. 10d. monthly, or 9s. 5d. weekly.

Sydenham, Christchurch. Rent, £2 0s. 10d. monthly, or 9s. 5d. weekly.

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PHOTOGRAPHS OF SOME OF THE HOMES ERECTED UNDER THE WORKERS' DWELLINGS ACT.

Sydenham, Christchurch. Rent, £2 5s. 5d. monthly, or 10s. 6d. weekly.

Windle Settlement, Dunedin. Rent, £2 4s. 2d. monthly, or 10s. 3d. weekly.

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PHOTOGRAPHS OF SOME OF THE HOMES ERECTED UNDER THE WORKERS' DWELLINGS ACT.

Windle Settlement, Dunedin. Rent, £2 monthly, or 9s. 3d. weekly.

Windle Settlement, Dunedin. Rent, £2 monthly, or 9s. 3d. weekly.

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PHOTOGRAPHS OF SOME OF THE HOMES ERECTED UNDER THE WORKERS' DWELLINGS ACT.

Windle Settlement, Dunedin. Rent, £2 3s. 4d. monthly, or 10s. weekly.

Windle Settlement, Dunedin. Rent, £2 3s. 4d. monthly, or 10s. weekly.