HARD LUCK STORY

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 February 1932, Page 6

HARD LUCK STORY

MARRIED MAN’S PLIGHT. A story of hard luck was told to Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., at the Greymouth Court, to-day, during the hearing of a claim for rent owing, and possession of a tenement. Stating that he was married, with seven children, defendant added that he had paid his rent regularly up to November 2, and had been unemployed since. His wife and himself, he said, had “tramped their feet off, all over Greymouth, and as far as Cobden,” looking foi' another house, but they could not secure a suitable residence at the rent they w r ere able to pay. Mr M. B. James, who represented the owner of the house, stated that negotiations were pending for its sale, and the purchaser would require it for his own occupation. He suggested that defendant be allowed a fortnight, in which to secure another house.

In reply to the S.M., defendant said that he had no means of paying the rent at present. It took all he could possibly scrape together, to keep his family. The children had no boots or clothes. If he could secure a job at his own employment, coal-mining, he could pay. When he went into the house they at present occupied, it was necessary to clean and improve it. He promised to do his best to get another house.

The S.M. said that, apparently, the place was to be sold, but he thought more than a. fortnight should be allowed to defendant. He suggested a month, considering the circumstances. Defendant had been a good tenant, up to a certain date, and it was not his fault that he was unable to pay the rent now.

Mr James agreed to the suggestion, and one month was allowed defendant, in which to find another place of residence.