WITHOUT HOME

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 307, 28 December 1944, Page 6

WITHOUT HOME

BEWILDERING CASE

EX-SERVICEMAN'S PLIGHT

A bewildering example of the manner in which the authorities concerned are preventing a Mount Eden man from assisting in the rehabilitation of his son-in-law, who served four years in the Middle East and Greece, was disclosed this morning. The returned soldier left New Zealand with the First Echelon in 1940 and arrived back in New Zealand with the first furlough draft holding the rank of sergeant. It was not anticipated that he would have any trouble in securing a home for himself and the girl he married on his return, as his father-in-law owned four.houses and, it was understood, that one was to be for the young couple. Describing his attempts to secure possession of an3 r of the houses, the father-in-law, Mr. S. Anderson, said a six-roomed house he owned in Mount Eden was occupied by a man and his wife and their child. He alleged that they refused either to move or to permit the conversion of the building into two fiats, and said they were not interested In the returned soldier's welfare. The same position existed with the other houses he owned, said Mr. Anderson. "There was no co-opera-tion from the tenants or the Fair Rent people." Realising the only solution appeared to be to build a new house, he and his son-in-law, who had returned to his trade of radio electrician, approached the local rehabilitation office.

Offer of £1500 The office offered to lend £1500 if they obtained their own section, said Mr. Anderson. This was done and plans prepared for a four-roomed house. It was then discovered that no builder or architect in the city would consider the proposition for under £1500. As the section cost £325 and the returned man was without capital the £1500 was of no use. "It sounds all right to be able to get £1500," said Mr. Anderson, "but the thing is not so easy as that. The State Advances valuer says the land may be worth so much, but the Land Sales Court will probably decide on quite a different valuation. This second valuation makes no difference to the State Advances, however, and they will only make a loan to cover their own valuation of the property." It had then been suggested that the returned soldier purchase an old house, but the prices asked for these were far beyond the man's resources. A search for a flat or rooms was also found to be hopeless. One landlady, two months ago, had been prepared to let a two-roomed flat, together with the use of a kitchen, for 37/6 a week, but she wanted £50 rent in advance. Other landladies asked 30/ and more for one room, with a minimum of facilities provided.

Converted Garage Finally, he and his son-in-law converted a garage at the back of his house into living quarters, said Mr. Anderson. This morning a reporter visited the garage and found it to be beautifully fitted out with modern furniture and so constructed that there was ample ventilation through a window and an air vent. Wallboards had been placed on the garage structure and the interior papered, so that the final impression was very striking. Measurements of the building were 9ft by 18ft by 7-ift. "A couple of days before Christmas Day I had a visit from a building inspector, and my daughter and her husband were ordered to vacate the garage,' said Mr. Anderson. "This garage, which has been fitted up fit for a king to live i,n, is the only thing we could find after months of searching for a house or rooms, yet my son-in-law and daughter must live on the street this coining New Year. I am afraid this inspector has a big job on his hands, as I personally know of seven garages, not including outbuildings, where families are living." Mr. Anderson said he had met dozens of other returned soldiers, many without a pension, who , -had described their attempts to secure a house. They stated that it was impossible to build a four-roomed house under £2000. They could not obtain decent living accommodation, and were living in basements and similar places. "Why pick on a returned soldier when he tries to help the Government by doing something for himself?" asked Mr. Anderson.