HOUSE SHORTAGE.

Evening Star, Issue 25716, 13 February 1946, Page 10

HOUSE SHORTAGE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —It would be interesting to know why the local U.S.A. executive is maintaining a discreet silence, and doing absolutely nothing to assist the returned servicemen of this war in their housing problems. 1 suggest that the expenditure of £20,000 on renovations to the local club rooms is one of the reasons. The R.S.A. evidently has no trouble in obtaining the necessary, permits and materials for this untimely and expensive renovation of entirely unsuitable premises, while the returned soldier of this war cannot find a builder to undertake the construction of a home, the reasons given being—no carpenters and no materials.

The £20,000 the R.S.A. has collected would build 10 or more houses for returned personnel, and the local executive would have earned and be accorded the deep gratitude of the returned men of this war, instead of, as is the case at present, their scorn and mistrust. It would be interesting if the executive were to call a general meeting to see what the recently-returned men have to say on this question. Maybe my own case will give the R.S.A. executive some indication of the reason for my bitterness. I am disabled. Home last August with six years'_ Second N.Z.E.F. service. Married in October. Since then my wife and I have been paying £2 5s a week for a furnished room. We have answered advertisements, searched • the Peninsula to Broad Bay, and on the West Harbour side to St. Leonards, unsuccessfully. We were offered a modern house privately. The Land Sales Committee's price was £1,750, but the owner wanted an extra £2OO before he would consider a contract of sale. Needless to say," we are still without a home. Another case recently was that of a house in St. Clair, sold to a civilian who had been earning good money through the war years. A returned soldier, with three years' service in the Middle East had asked (for consideration, as he wished to marry, but the civilian was given first opportunity to purchase. As the owner of our present quarters is returning in a week's time, and I are looking forward to either camping on the beach or paying_ more than our income for board in an hotel. " Corrigenda " has hit the nail on the head in his reference to the fact that nothing has been done but make idle promises—viz., " nothing will be too good for you when you return." f Blunt Peter " could do with some sharpening. The mayor, who seems to

be a sincere man, with the interest and well-being of his citizen's at heart, would earn the gratitude of hundreds of returned men, and others, if ho could give some load to the local organisations, and try to give the homeless, at least, something in the nature of temporary accommodation at a reasonable figure. I have been told that the Army camp in Wharf street accommodated about 100 personnel. It has been empty for several months.— I am, etc., 7608. February 12.