HIGH RENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 285, 2 December 1925, Page 8

HIGH RENTS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Not very long ago, Mr. Coates, who was returned to Parliament with a big majority of Government members, had an election slogan, "Friend of the working man." Now that he has a sure margin of support in the House, the Premier has every opportunity to prove if he really meant this, or whetl er it was just "election froth." At the present time the most serious hardship on the working man is the high rent he has to pay for living accommodation. There can be no doubt whatever that profiteering is rampant; in all cases where rents have been doubled the last few years it is unfair extortion from and oppression of the working man, also his family, for his family have to suffer for it. What about a Fair Rent Bill? Or could we not have a Government valuer to fix a rent based on the value of the property? What a splendid chance for a man in power to prove himself a friend of the worker! It is common konwledge that property buyers during the last few years have set tlie fashion in profiteering because of the house shortage. Will the Government, on humanitarian grounds, take up this question and protect the unfortunates? I am, etc., A WORKER.