Owner Seeks To Remove Tenant Of Blaketown House

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 September 1947, Page 3

Owner Seeks To Remove Tenant Of Blaketown House

The question whether alternative accommodation offered the defendant was stiitabe folr the defendant’s family’was argued in the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth yesterday afternoon when Mary H. A. M. Ingrim and Norma Mary McLaren sought possession of a house in Blake street, Blaketown, from William Jobson Dixon and Doris Adeline Dixon. The case was heard before Mi' A. A. McLachlan, S.M. Mr W. D. Taylor appeared, for the claimants and Mr D. T. C. Brayshay, of the Department of Labour and Employment, represented the defendants. Mr Taylor said that the only question at issue was whether the alternative accommodation obtained for the defendants at Cobden was suitable. The defendant had been the tenant of the Blaketown house for some time, at rental of 25/- a week. Mrs Ingram lived at Wellington and the property was the subject of a mortgage to the Public Trustee and £175 was owing under this mortgage. The mortgagee applied for, and obtained the sanction of the court to exercise his rights under the memorandum of mortgage and on November 19 next would be free to proceed. Mrs Ingram was faced with the possibility that no purchaser would be forthcoming for a tenanted house, except the tenant, and Dixon might get the house at £175, some £3OO less than its value. Sale Of Property

In July, 1946, continued Mr Taylor, Dixon had agreed to purchase the house for £560 and the Land Sales Committee had approved the sale, subject to a reduction to £530. However, although Dixon had been subsequently offered the property at £490, he had not proceeded with the purchase. The house had recently been sold to Mrs McLaren. Evidence regarding the sale negotiations and the mortagage on the property was given by Cyril Redmond McGinley, solicitor, of Greymouth. George Franklin Shallcrass, valuer, of Greymouth, gave evidence regarding the state of the property at Blaketown and also of that at Cobden. He said that the Blaketown pro-, perty was in a very bad state of repair and the drainage was poor. The Cobden house, although older, was in an infinitely better state of repair.

Examined by Mr Brayshay, the witness said it appeared that nothing had been spent on the Blaketown property for some time. The Cobden house was also in need of some repairs.

Mr Brayshay said that the defendant had inspected the Cobden property and under normal circumstances would not hesitate to take it but he had a large family and considered that their living conditions would become worse if he moved into the Cobden house.-The houses generally were pretty much on a par. Defendant’s Evidence The defendant, in evidence, said he was an invalidity pensioner and had six children. The eldest was 21 years of age and the youngest four and ahalf years. He gave details of the family sleeping arrangements and said that his objection to the Cobden house was that it was too small. After some further discussion regarding the state of the Cobden house, Mr Brayshay submitted that, before any order was made, extensive repairs should be carried out. The Magistrate adjourned the case until Thursday and indicated that, in the meantime, he would inspect the Cobden property with Mr Taylor and Mr Brayshay. He added that it might be possible to agree on some repairs being made by the owners or even by Mrs Ingram, in whose interests any order would be made.