ATTEMPTED EVICTION

Maoriland Worker, Volume 6, Issue 244, 20 October 1915, Page 3

ATTEMPTED EVICTION

! Of British Soger's Wife I and Children ! f IVE HUNDRED WOMEN PICKETS. I A British soldier's wife and children j wcro recently •threatened with eviction j at Shettleston. Her.husband ' was 1 t;sj<ay at the front, and-the landlord wita; 'ready to. put into execution , au cvk'-j tiou order.notwithstanding that the! Miners' Union' had offered to pay hpr \ ront arrears. A meeting;of between. 3,000. and 4,000 . people resolved ttjat L rio eviction would bo permitted. : I'jvo . hundred, women undertook to picket the. I ;.. ise',. and these' t weiit abroad armea, with.dJl sort's of'weapons. .Tho Factor's .house was: attacked, tho windows! smashed, and his effigy publicly'burned. Hβ •suddenly'became illj and fhej efforts to' evict the family .were called joff. The/scandal of tho whole business j is in the fact that a British soldier j going to the front 'receives such miser- ( , ■ able pay that ho must ]eav© his wife 'and little ones at tho mercy of the 'miserable traitors who stay nt homo: and pose as patriots. The following I .telegram was sent to Lord Kitchener:; "Kitchener, War Office, London.— ■ Numerous cases of absent soldiers' dependants here .. . threatened with eviction for non-payment of rent; appeal for and await your suggestion of ...protectivo measures..— (Signed) Councillor Wheatley, City' €hambors, Glasgow." All that happened in this connection was that a man , involved, in protecting j the 6oldicr l s wifo.aud children fromi eviction was fined £5 with the option of 30 days' jail, and Councillor Wheatley received.tho fallowing reply to his telegram to Kitchener: '• - ' ''Yours yesterday. Separation al- ■ lowanco cannot be increased to assist in payment of rent, and no action foiisiblo. by -War Office.— Secretary of State." ' The Councillor, be it noted, did not ask for increased separation allowances; he asked for the non-eviction' of .soldiers' wives,. whilo tho bread-winners were at. tho Front risking'their lives.