H.—llb.

1909. 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, 1908."

Wellington, 10th July, 1909. I have the honour to present herewith report of the Chief Advisory Officer under the Workers' Dwellings Act, on the work done under the provisions of the Act for the year ending the 31st March, 1909. Three returns giving information concerning the erection of these houses, cost of building, value of laud, total rent, &c, are included in this report. There were only three houses to let at .'slst March last. These were situated at Petone (Heretaunga Settlement). J. A. Millar, Minister of Labour.

Siß,— Wellington, 15th June, 1909. I have the honour to report, in compliance with "The Workers' Dwellings Act, 1908," on the working of the Act, and the progress made during the year ending 31st March last. A total of 26 houses were.completed, or nearly completed, during the year, on the followingsettlements: Camelot Settlement, Sydenham (Christchurch), 11 houses; Heretaunga Settlement, Petone (Wellington), 3 houses; Lawry Settlement, Ellerslie (Auckland), 12 houses. The houses on the Lawry Settlement are nearing completion, and will probably be out of the builders' hands early. Full particulars regarding the houses completed, as to cost of erection, size, &c, will be found in returns included in this report. A further six houses are being built on the Walker Settlement, at Addington, near Christchurch. With the exception of these six and the three Petone dwellings, the houses were erected under the contract system. There was a large number of tenants offering for the dwellings erected at the Camelot Settlement, Sydenham, and those applying had to submit to a ballot. I have no hesitation in sayingthat those successful at the ballot appear to be good reliable tenants, and those whom it was intended that the Act should specially benefit. A pleasing feature of this and the other settlements is the care generally given to the gardens and ground attached to the houses Many of thetenants have not only laid out tasteful gardens, but have a neatly kept lawn or kitchen-garden in which to devote their spare time. Up to the end of the period 108 dwellings have been erected and finished, and counting the 12 houses at Ellerslie nearing completion, and the 6 in hand at Addington, there will be a total of 126. Of the 108 completed, 105 have been let, 3at Petone remaining unlet on the 31st March last The houses at Petone have been all let during the year, but the tenants have been either shitted to work in other towns or have had to move on in search of work. It is expected that the houses will soon be filled again. An interesting experiment was made during the year in erecting two houses on the Heretaunga Settlement m ferro-concrete and one in wood. These were similar in design and finish and, as a result of the experiment, I am inclined to favour the ferro-concrete houses, for the reasons that not only were they found to be nearly as cheap as wood, but they have the distinct