"EMPTY" HOUSE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21906, 15 September 1934, Page 18

"EMPTY" HOUSE

FAMILY IN OCCUPATION SURPRISE FOR OFFICIALS UNEMPLOYED MAN'S PLEA The story of a family's occupation of a house which the owner, the State Advances Department, thought was empty, was told in the Police Court yesterday, when an unemployed man, Walter Woods, pleaded guilty to a charge of being found unlawfully on premises at 9 Reimers Avenue, Sandringham, on September 11. Senior-Detective Hall said that on August 11 the house, which was under the control of the State Advances Department, had been vacated by the tenant, who had not returned the keys, however. Some time later a tradesman was sent to the house to fit new keys, but on his arrival he found the house was already occupied. Officers from the State Advances Department and the local constable were sent to the house, but could not make anyone come to the door, although it was known that there were people in the house. The family was still in occupation. The defendant was a married man with two children. The Magistrate, Mr. W. R. McKean: Did the people just walk in? Mr. Hall: Apparently so. We do not know just when they entered the house. Defendant said he had been out of employment for two years. Recently he had received notice to quit the house he had formerly occupied and he had done so. "1 am drawing only 26s for j sustenance," he said. "It is not sufficij ent to pay both for food and rent. I ! would either have to pay rent and let I my family starve or else live without | paying rent. The only alternative was to walk into this house. 1 knew it was | a State house. i "I think there is a moral law that ! comes before other laws," defendant added. "Even the animals know it and i provide shelter for their young." Mr. McKean: in that case you might as well have stayed on at the other house. I suppose you thought that because it was a State house you could do as you pleased. Defendant: .No, it was a question who could afford the most. Resides, the owner of the other house had treated me quite well. Defendant added that Detective Sneddon had called at his house late one night, but defendant denied that he had been ordered to "quit." He had written to the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates and had received a letter in reply promising investigation of the position. It was stated that defendant could secure employment at the Hobsonville air base under Public Works conditions. "1 shall adjourn the case for a week and if you are still in the house then, I shall impose a punishment," said the magistrate. "You are simply in the position of a burglar at the present time. You must learn that you cannot take the law into your own hands, and in the meantime you must see the Labour Department about securing employment."