FIGHTERS' NOMES

NZ Truth, Issue 695, 12 October 1918, Page 2

FIGHTERS' NOMES

Judge Says Wives May Not ;■■ \ '" : Be : Expelled : -

A correspondent has requested us to publish .the following report from "Lloyd's Newspaper," to show how soldiers' wives are ' protected against the exacting- landlords m England, m contrast to similar cases throughout New Zealand:—' William: Freeman, of Kenningtonroad, applied at Lambeth County Court for possession of a house m Lollardstreety' occupied by John Barnard O'Reilly^ and his wife. He stated that rent amounting to £12 17s was owing. His Honor Judge Modges (to Mrs. O'Reilly): Where is your husband? Mrs. O'Reilly: ■In the trenches. She added that her income was h.alf what it was before the war, and that she had Hyed m the house with iier mother for- thirty years, and since she was married, fourteen years ago. The Judge, (to Freeman) : And now you are wanting to turn these people out after all these years, while the ■husband is 'fighting for you? ' . Plaintiff: There is a large amount, of rent owing, and 1 want possession of the house;' The Judge : If it had not been for this man' and the 1 likes of him ■ ' YOU WOULD NOT* HAVE HAD r- 1 ANX HOUSE AT. ALL. I will not make an order* for the possession of : any house against a man fighting, /for his country. t ■ Mrs. O.'Reilly. said that q.wing tp th&. falling off of hernhcome. she was living v m two^oprins. Before the wan she 'had/ five. .Sfie,;tia;d be6n: compelled to sell, a; portior£; l Qf J h£r: ; furniture' and to go {put to worlc,;e4?riing' s iss a week, to supplement the small Army allowance. ; Stte was willing to pay 5s a week off the arrears. • Plaintiff: The rent has been m arrears for two and a half years. The Judge: And the war has being going on since 1914. The judge adjourned the case, which was not to be reinstated so long as Mrs. O'Reilly regularly paid the rent and 5s extra a week. The judge struck out two similar applications, as the husbands of the women who appeared were m the Army, and notices of ejectment had not been served upon them.