FLATS AND ROOMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24302, 17 June 1942, Page 4

FLATS AND ROOMS

REMEDYING EVILS housing improvement bill (P.A.) CHKISTCHTJKCH, Tuesday "If it had not been for the war, legislation applying more strict control to flats and rooms and their conditions and rents would have been passed before now," said the Minister of Housing, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, to-day. Representations had been made by the National Council of Women to the Christchurch City Council on the conditions in Christchurch, and the Government, he said, had under consideration an amendment to the Fair Rents Act with a view to remedying some of the evils as far as was possible in wartime. The Minister also announced that a Housing Improvement Bill, aimed at slum clearance, was also being drafted and might be introduced in the coming session. It was quite true, he said, that people were being unmercifully exploited by rents for rooms and flats.

A Bill Drafted The National Council of Women were supporters of a bill he had had drafted some time ago providing tor house improvements, said Mr. Armstrong. The bill was now in the hands of the law draughtsmen. He could not say for certain that the legislation would be brought forward this session, because everything depended on ddevelopments of the war, but it would be ready for submission to the House. Outlining the provisions of the Housing Improvement Bill, the Minister said it stated a reasonable standard for dwellings, below which they would be considered unfit for human habitation, and it provided power to compel owners to bring their houses up to standard.^ "It will not be unreasonable in its provisions," said Mr. Armstrong. "There are thousands of houses where people are paying stiff rents for rooms. Some of the houses are without bathrooms or cooking arrangements and are 20 years out of date and the sanitary arrangements are abominable. Loans for Necessary Work "With the expenditure of a modest sum those houses could be made into quite reasonable homes and that would be a quicker way of providing decent accommodation than building new homes for everybody, because we cannot build new homes fast enough. "There is provision in the bill that where an owner cannot afford the necessary work the money will be lent to j him at a very low rate of interest to do ! the work or the Government will do the job itself and collect the rents _ until ! the outlay is repaid. If a house is not I in a fit state for remodelling then power I will be taken to demolish it, but demo- ! lition will not take place until such I time as we have accommodation to | which to transfer the family, j "We do not want to apply compuli sion if it can be avoided. Compulsion |on owners will be necessary, I think, !in very few cases, because I can see I the owners taking advantage of this ; bill and seeking assistance to enable | them to do the proper thing."

HELP FROM SCHOOLBOYS BRITAIN GROWS MORE FLAX LONDON, May 15 Lincolnshire schoolboys are joining with farmers in the effort to double the area under flax. A flax-growing contract has been signed by Frank Dickinson and Robert Bale, 14-year-old pupils, of the De Ast-on School, Market Rasen, acting on behalf of a young farmers' club. The school playing field, half of which was dug up last season for potatoes, is to be used. At first the factory concerned said the field was not big enough to justify a contract, but in view of the boys' eagerness it has "signed up."

ASSAULT ON WIFE LABOURER SENT TO GAOL (0.C.) -WELLINGTON, Tuesday While most of Wellington seemed to be taking an interest in the United Nations Day parade on Saturday, Colin Keith Carter, labourer, aged 29, was assaulting his wife, who had been watching the procession from the balcony of a Manners Street theatre. According to the police, he ripped off her skirt, caught her by the throat, and dragged her along a passage, and was alleged to have kicked her. Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., sentenced him to two months' hard labour for assault. Senior-Sergeant Paine said Carter's wife had left him recently, allegedly because of his ill-treatment of her. ]Nf!r. Joseph, who entered a plea of guilty for Carter, said the accused had two children under five years of age, and three weeks ago his wife left Jhim. He had been looking for her every night. He saw her at the parade, and she told him she would never come back because she was in love with another man. Counsel said he was not attempting to minimise the offence, but contended that there had been serious provocation. Carter was deeply in love with his wife. The magistrate said that provocation could not justify a brutal assault.

RED CROSS WORK COMMISSIONER'S REPORT (P.A.) _ WELLINGTON, Tuesday The New Zealand Red Cross Commissioner in the Middle East, Major W. G. Tweedy, in reporting to the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society, says that he managed to call at all hospitals or depots where New Zealandors are patients, with the exception of the Western Desert. He also visited the port of departure where men embark on hospital ships for the trip home. Major Tweedy said be had also visited all cemeteries in and about Cairo and Tel El Keber, and had inspected all graves of New Zealand soldiers. The opportunity was taken to photograph the graves and copies had been sent to next-of-kin. It was not considered that it would be possible to visit the cemeteries in the Western Desert, but he would be pleased to obtain photographs if next-of-kin would supply the regimental number, full name and iin.it, and forward the information to the secretary of the War Purposes Committee, Box 139, Te Aro. The only items of which hospitals were in urgent need were soap and gelatine, added Major Tweedy. Arrangements are being made to send both of these. There is a demand for magazines. which can be sent to the nearest St. John or Red Cross representative.

FARM SALE DISPUTE The hearing of a dispute over the sale of a dairy farm at Woodhill, near Helensville, was continued before Mr. Justice Callan yesterday. The purchasers were Thomas Henry Thompson and Edna Taylor (Mr. V. R. Meredith and Mr. Mackay), who brought a claim alleging fraudulent misrepresentation against the vendor, Thomas Edward Ross (Mr. North). They alleged that the farm was subject to serious flooding, contrary to what Ross had represented to them, and they claimed a refund of £SOB, £sl legal costs and £3OO general damages. Further evidence was heard and the case was adjourned until to-dav.