HOUSES FOR SOLDIERS.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 18, 16 July 1920, Page 3

HOUSES FOR SOLDIERS.

POLICY OF ASSOCIATION. The policy favoured in dealing with the claims of permanently disabled soldiers is se^ forth by the executive of the Auckland Patriotic Association in its annual report. This states that the executive has been opposed to assisting in the purchase of hcuses for the disabled men, and would have preferred to advance the money to enable the applicant to erect a new building, but it was found that the Government offers of assistance to acquire properties was being taken full advantage of, and the committee was unable to insist upon the erection of new buildings. The policy was, of course, wrong, as the findinq by the Government of large sums of money to assist in acquiring existing houses could have no other result than the raising of values all round, and, what was worse, causing the eviction of persons occupying such houses without an| corresponding provision to meet their requirements. The association, recognising the difficulties attaching to the procuring of timber and other materials to erect new houses, was inquiring into 'the question of erecting homes of earth, which was apparently being cajried out with some measures of success in England. The committee would be glad of any information which would throw light upon what was a very serioos question, not only to the disabled soldier, but to the whole comnumity,