CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 99, 28 April 1945, Page 9

CORRESPONDENCE

THE HOME FRONT ' (To the Editor.)

Sir, —Perhaps one of the saddest features of war time is the difficult housing problem facing servicemen on their' return to civil life, and anything which promises ever, temporary relief is worthy of the closest investigation. It cannot be denied that the people of New Zealand have a greater sufficiency of those things necessary for; their well-being than any other coun- a try in the world. .It must also be admitted that many" of them, reasonably well off, have beautiful homes, some of which are only half occupied, while hundreds of the men apd women whoJhave saved and are saving the posi-. tion here have no homes to go to. Such conditions can only be regarded as a cad reflection on our resourcefulness and our sense of gratitude. When the position in New Zealand is compared with that in England, where there are no vacant rooms arid where the huge population is living under most sensitive conditions, one feels that our people here are lacking in appreciation of what is due to the returned servicemen who saved our homes for us. I have come into contact with many returned men of exemplary character who wish to join their wives or to marry tb .• women they ' have loved for so.ne years, but the possibility of securing homes for them appears to Be hopeless. By way. of temporary expedient, some of us are endeavouring to" have a regulation provided whereby' private householders who have never let their houses before but who are now prepared to prcvide accommodation for returned men during the period of emergency would be exempt from the requirements of the Fair Rents Act. The proposal, if given effect to, would enable such householders to assist in the emergency by providing accommodation for a stated period, instead of being- tied down indefinitely as the Act now requires, or to terminate a tenancy should such action, for' any good reason, become desirable.

Surely it is not contemplated that if the war should end suddenly the thousands, of returning men would have to wait until houses are built before they can start home life; yet as things are at present there seems no alternative. Neither the Government nor orivate enterprise can be" blamed for the shortage of house a today, for it must be admitted that material and labour have been used reasonably well. - However, the position must be faced. The returning men, with their wives and families, must be housed as comfortably as possible pending the erection of permanent homes, ahd if. the civil population does not rise to the occasion and, by individual effort and possibly some sacrifice, make some contribution to the winning of this part of the peace, then it seems to me that we will only have ourselves to blame if the returning "Kiwis," of whose fighting prowess we are so proud, regard us as selfish and ungrateful, and their sacrifices as largely in vain.—l am, etc., D. V. BRYANT.

Hamilton.