SUFFER (NOT) THE LITTLE CHILDREN

NZ Truth, 25 October 1924, Page 7

SUFFER (NOT) THE LITTLE CHILDREN

— - — ♦ Lyric of the Landlord A CASE- IN AUCKLAND COURT. The Father Of All Children said: "Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaveri." But the modern landlord will suffer them not, the significant words m the "To Let" columns of the daily papers — "No children" — being an index to his (or her) attitude m regard to the little ones beloved of Christ. This was painfully instanced at the Auckland Magistrate's Court the other day, when Adjutant Gordon, of the Salvation Army, asked for grace to the extent of four weeks on behalf of an unfortunate mother of four children whom a landlord desired to dispossess of the house she rented. The good Salvo lady said that because - the woman had four children she found i\ almost impossible to get an owner to let. her a tenement. ."I know from my own personal experience," said the adjutant, "that people with families of small children have fearful trouble to get a house m this city. Landlords simply refuse to let them have a house. , This poor woman had practically secured a place, but she was honest enough to admit that she had four young children, and that was the end of it as far as that landlord was concerned." He refused to let her have the place. It is hard enough for people with families at any time, because rents are fearfully high, and even then houses are very hard to get. I have personally endeavored to get a house for this woman, but it is almost impossible to get one for a tenant with children." The Magistrate allowed three weeks to the tenant m which to do the impossible. The state of affairs revealed by the Adjutant is one that has existed .m Auckland ever since the housing shortage. Landlords can afford 'to pick their tenants, and, rightly or wrongly, they prefer adult families. Soriie of them would sooner see their houses remain empty m fact than let them to tenants with young children. Of course, it will be admitted that m some instances youngsters do minor damage m a house, but m many cases a bit of torn wall paper is generally the extent of their mischief. In the circumstances, is it any wonder that married couples who cannot build or buy a home of their own .refuse to have children? And can the extent of this evil be gauged m a young country crying out for population? The Massey Government could help by giving first preference urieler its housing advances scheme to parents with young families, the order of preference being according to the number of children. This would only be a just arrangement. New Zealand cannot expect people to raise families when they have no home m .which to raise them, .or, m the case of >. being mere .tenants, are m daily danger of eviction, with scant hopes of renting another place. M »i — — — a*-" '->-' :