TURNED OUT

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 75, 25 September 1918, Page 8

TURNED OUT

COMMENT ON HOUSING

QUESTION,

Interesting comments were made by Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, at the conclusion of an action taken for the possession of a, tenement by the owner' from the person then in. occupation. The plaintiff herself had been renting a house, but it had been sold over her head to a person who wished to occupy- it himself, so that she had had to leave the premise's. She could not rent another house, and therefore bought that in which the defendant lived. As she actually required the place for her own use she gave him notice to quit, but went to some trouble to secure another' house for the defendant. However, he considered the place unsuitable, as it was up some steps. The defendant did not dispute plaintiff's statement as to the circumstances under which she required the house, and the Magistrate said he had no option but to make an order for possession. After some discussion with the parties, he fixed the date at four weeks- from the date of hearing. Referring 1 to the shortage of house accommodation, Mr. Frazer said that the slowing up of building was no doubt responsible for much inconvenience, but the position was made more acute iby the fact that many people had recently _ come from other parts to reside in Wellington, some to be near their relatives engaged in military duties, and others who had chosen to come to the town while drawing allotments. Possibly one solution would be that preference should 1 be given those whose business justified their residence in the town, tut there were very great practical difficulties in the way of bringing such a step about.