FAMILY OF EIGHT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 204, 26 May 1944, Page 4

FAMILY OF EIGHT

Reply To Mr. Thorn And Mr. Petrie In a statement to “The Dominion” today. Mr. and Mrs. A. McAuley, whose quest for a house for themselves and their six.children has been previously reported. challenged the allegations of Mr. Petrie and Mr. Thorn in connexion with their position, and pointed out that in any case these allegations did' not absolve the authorities concerned from their responsibilities in the matter. “Mr. Thorn’s surprise at reading the statement that Mr. Petrie advised us to come to Wellington is peculiar in, view of the fact that he was told this by dur representative two days previously, when he denied that a Labour member could be so foolish.” said Mr. McAuley. ‘Of course Mr. Petrie does not want io admit responsibility, but he should stick to the facts. It is not true that he only made arrangements for Mrs. McAuley and the children to come down after I was already here. We came down together on January 30. after Mr. Petrie had told us he could do more to get. us a State house in Wellington. and advised, us to see him while Parliament was in session. Our living conditions in' Auckland at the time were hopeless, though we applied for a State house in 1941. We actually came down on the hist train before the travel restrictions came into force, and no permit was necessary. , “As regards my position with the manpower authorities. I was directed to work at Reid Rubber Mills. Penrose, where the wages are totally inadequate to keep a large family, and which was quite inconvenient where we were living at the time. I am Grade 4 medically. They would not allow my appeal, and since all my experience has been at driving and I knew I could get a job ou the railway buses down here at a more satisfactory wage that was an additional reason for coming down. “I only pleaded guilty to the charge made against me in the Magistrates Court because I was told that I would be remanded back to Auckland in custody if I did not. though my wife and children were down here. I was not represented bv a solicitor. However, tlic authorities let me continue in my present employment, and the matter of the it) fine has been taken up ou m.v behalf and not yet settled. . “We have been in M ellington four months, and our position as regards a house is not much worse than it was m Auckland, where our application had been in since 1941.” he continued. “They keep on telling me that they are doing everything possible, and they have said repeatedly that there are no three-bedroom State houses available in Wellington. In spite of these statements my wife and children would have been on the streets for the past six days, so far as Mr. Thorn and the State Advances Corporation are concerned. though there arc State bouses vacant As a matter of fact, there is a three-bedroom State house, with all services connected. No. 16 I irie Street. Lower Unit, which has been vacant tor a week or two. This house had not been allotted to anyone till Tuesday of this week, when it was offered to a family with three children who nlrrud.v had a State bouse with two bedrooms m Lower Hutt, but wanted a larger house. It has since been allotted to them.”' . Mr and Mrs. McAuley expressed their grateful thanks for the offer of a house for two months made through Mr. Appleton Though its location would make it difficult for Mr. McAuley to get to his employment, thev said they would be glad lo accept the offer till a suitable house was available.