THE HOUSE SHORTAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 293, 8 December 1920, Page 7

THE HOUSE SHORTAGE.

ALLEGED FORCIBLE ENTRY.

A PECULIAR STATE OF AFFAIRS.

Another phase of the house shortage problem cropped up before Mr. —.. C Cutten, &.M., this aft«rnoon< when .-..tie E- MoKee (Mr. J. J. Sullivan), tenant of residential premises in Edwin Street, privately charge- -Agnes Xcuble and Albert C. Noble (Mr. A. Moody), the owners of the house, with having committed the crime of having forcibly entered the house in such manner as was likely to cause apprehension of a breach of" the peace. The charge is an indictable one, whi-h, on a case being made out, must be decided in the Supreme Court. Mr. Sullivan stated that Mr. and Mrs. Noble had cued for possession of the house, or of two rooms, and on November 33 Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., decided against them, and in favour oi the tenants. The following day. Mr. MoKee being away, the accused went to the house, pnshed forcibly past Mrs. McKee when she went to the door, and went to a room where they had furniture stored, and to another room, the possession of which had been denied them by themagistrate. His Worship: What was the outcome of it all? Mr. Sullivan: They broke the window of the room in which their furniture was stored, and fixed up an arrangement whereby they could get in and out of the room without going to the other parts of the house. His Worship: Is the object to punish the other people, or what is it? Mr. Sullivan: They now have a room, a door of which leads to - the rooms occupied by my clients, and there is danger of a breath of the peace.

Leslie McK.ee, labourer, said that for four and a half years he and his wife had occupied a house owned by the defendants, paying 16/ a "week rent. When defendants sued for possession on November 23, mention was made of the room with defendants' furniture stored in it, and the Magistrate declined to make an order. Witness left town on November 24 and returned on November 27, lo find that steps had been put up on the window of that particular room, and a lock and key had been put on the window. The effect was that the defendants could, if they wished, get into the part of the house used by him without going through the door. r His Worship: But these people don't live in the house. Mr. Sullivan: Xo, but they can go in and out as they like. The case is proceeding.