SOLDIER TENANTS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 234, 15 September 1922, Page 7

SOLDIER TENANTS.

AND THE HOUSING PROBLEM. DEPUTATION TO PREMIER. Wellington, Sept. 14. I The suggestions that protection for- ! morly afforded to returned soldier ten- ' ants should be restored, was made by j a deputation from the R.S.A., mtro- | ducted by Mr. Mitchell, M.P.. to the I Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour to-day. | The Prime Minister said the Gov1 ernment had been blamed for its legislation by people who claimed that it had discouraged people building for investment, and that the scarcity of houses made for higher rentals. The Government had to think of that side of the question as well as the other. It was out of the question for the Government to build houses for all the population; therefore it did not want to discourage the people who might be willing to invest their capital in houses. He was sorry that a flaw had been discovered in the Act. and he would have been better pleased if the law had gone on until 31st December, but it was the duty of a judge io interpret the Act as he found it. It was now for Cabinet to decide whether the Act should be reinstated for the period originally intended. 31st December, or as now asked, until 31st July. Mr. Mitchell: There is another solution—the reopening of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act for building. Mr. Massey said the people Mould be surprised at the amount of money he was finding for house-building.