A HOUSING HARDSHIP

Grey River Argus, 1 August 1940, Page 2

A HOUSING HARDSHIP

[To the Editor.] Sir, —As a resident of Greymouth for the past forty-three years ana educated in Greymouth, may I be permitted per medium of your columns to refer to the case of my son, his wife and family of eight young children, who have had to vacate the house occupied by them. The facts of the case are as follows: For the past eignt .years up till April 1, 1940, I have rented a house in Arney Street, and have paid my rent regularly always, as my rent-book will prove. In 1933, during the depression, my son, like a good many others at that time, found difficulty in making ends meet, with rhe result that my wife and I offered them the shelter of our home, which they shared until I was fortunate enough to secure a State house • at Holland Settlement, Cobden. My son was, and is still, willing to continue in occupation of the Arney Street house, the owner of which, when consulted,. was agreeable, saying that as long as the rent was paid it would not matter whether I or my son paid it. At the end of four weeks my son forwarded the rent, but it was returned by a legal firm with instructions that the premises must be vaca" .d For many weeks my son and his wife have searched the whole of the Greymouth district to as far as Camerons, and have found it impossible to get a house of any description, whilst m the meantime the owner of the premiss was granted a Court order for mj' son to vacate before July 11. Today he was, with his wife and family evicted, their furniture being stored in the house in one room, and while six of the children were accommodated by others, the father, mother and two children to-night are using a motor-car for accommodation. 1 do not question the legal rights of the house-owner, but emphatically protest against my son being obliged to leave while unable, to secure another place. I have always tried to respect others’ right, and to bring up my family to do likewise, and, feeling sure people here are all lovers of liberty—the right to live unmolested --some good, I hope, will come from the publication of this matter. I am, etc., RESIDENT. July 31, 1940.