HOUSE SHORTAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLV, Issue 10430, 7 November 1919, Page 4

HOUSE SHORTAGE

HIGH RENTS: NO AVAILABLE DWELLINGS. In a case heard at the Magistrate’s! Oourt yesterday, in "which possession; of a tenement was sought, the magistrate (Mr E. Page) ashed for further. details. ■ Evidence was then given by the plain-, tiff (a woman)-to the effect that she urgently desired possession, for she had been compelled to vacate the premises she had been renting. She had found a house for defendant (an old man) but he had declined to occupy the premises. i Defendant said he had tried to secure another house but had failed. He had got into arrears through the illness of his wife, and was endeavouring to pay them off. He really could not ; get a house and could not take his wife out into the street. He had one son —an epileptic—who had injured himself recently, and had scarcely enough to live on. The rent of the habitable houses available was so high that he could not afford to pay it—it only meant getting into further financial difficulties. . . Plaintiff said she had heen compel-, led to quit the premises the had been; , occupying, store her furniture, and go: S into lodgings. The magistrate said he preferred to adjourn the case for a fortnight. Ho advised defendant to use his best endeavours to secure a house. (Defendant: “I will”), for he had got into arrears with his rent, and had thus placed-him-self in such a position that he had lost the protection the law had afforded him. Counsel for plaintiff pressed for an order, hut His Worship said he preferred to adopt the course he had indicated.