WORKERS’ DWELUNGS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2498, 11 May 1909, Page 6

WORKERS’ DWELUNGS.

THEIR ESTABLISHMENT URGED

IN GISBORNE

PETITION TO BE CIRCULATED

At the Trades and Labor Council meeting onl Saturday evening. ,in accordance with . notice,- Air.' C. Cattoii moved:: “That a petition be got up, urging the establishment of workers’ homes in Gisborne.” Mr. Cattcin quoted- from the Workers’ Dwellings Act to show the advantages to by derived from the establishment of suen dwellings in Gisborne. For houses 'which command a rent .of 16s a week in Gisborne, he said, similar houses could be built by the Government for a rental of 11s. Other houses- were cheaper, some being 8s per week rental. The houses were of various designs and of different dimensions. The establishment of such houses in Gisborne -would be of immense benefit to the worker's. ,

Mr. M. G. Nasmith, iunr, seconded the motion. He thought, however, that the establishment of such houses should not be strictly confined to Gisborne proper. In a recent issue of the “Gisborne Times” he had noticed a copy of a letter from Mr. T. E. Taylor to Sir Joseph Ward, urging the latter to establish workers’ homes along the lines of railway.. Land could be bought at agricultural -rates, houses could thus be let at a cheap rental, and special S/ires at suitable hours could .be made on the railway. This, he considered, was an excellent suggestion. Perhaps this idea could be carried out in Gisborne. Land could be acquired; at Makaraka and Makauri, buildings could be erected there, and the time-table of tbe railway could be. altered to. suit the workmen’s hours! . He held that if the time-table was‘thus altered, , Makai:aka and Makauri -would boom; r This .alteration was sure to come, for as the railway got further inland, the hours of the train service, must be - altered. He would like to see the petition in regard to sites left open —not confined to Gisborne proper. The President (Mr. Halligan) said he questioned 1 whether ' the' Government would feel justified in incurring the expense of running a workmen’s train from Makauri of homes were erected there. ' - • - ~

Mr. J. H. Hall considered the best plan was to ..erect houses in various localities. Some workers could' not live in the country as their occupations necessitated them being at work at 4 o’clock in the morning, but in' other cases a. house in the country would be suitable in every respect. Mr. Spurdle considered that cheap houses should he put up. Four-roomed cottages were quite sufficient, for a •ioor man could not 11s a week rental. After further discussion, the motion was put and carried unanimously.The matter of drafting and circulating the petition was referred to the Management Committee, to report to the next meeting of the Council.