DAMAGED HOUSES IN SYDNEY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25206, 10 June 1947, Page 7

DAMAGED HOUSES IN SYDNEY

DELAY IN REPAIR EIGHT OCCUPANTS DIE OF PNEUMONIA (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 9. Speaking at the graveside of a baby who had died of pneumonia, the Rev. G. Van Eerde said that mothers who lived in sub-standard houses at Redfern were in constant fear for the health of their children. He revealed later that eight occupants of houses damaged in the hailstorm on New Year’s Day and still unrepaired, had died of pneumonia in the last fortnight. Th# victims were elderly people or children. Mr Van Eerde, who is in charge of the South Sydney Methodist Mission, added that these wet, poorly-ventilated homes were reeking with disease, and that few of the occupants had any hope of having a weather-proof roof over their heads before next Christmas. “An estate agent who controls 700 damaged homes told me that he expects the repairs to take longer than six months,” said Mr Van Eerde. “Be cause of the holes in the rool it is impossible for the occupants of these homes to keep their beds and clothing dry during rainy weather. It will be impossible before next summer for them to dry out their mattresses and blankets because few of the yards of these homes ever see the sun.” Sydney watersiders to-day refused to load galvanised iron on two ships as a protest over the delay in repairing storm-damaged roofs at Redfern. The Malaita. and Montoro were loading iron for New Guinea, and the watersiders claimed it was to be used in building sheds. After referring the matter to union officials, the men continued loading other cargo.