COUNSEL APPALLED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27082, 17 May 1949, Page 2

COUNSEL APPALLED

CONDITION OF HOUSE TENANTS BEFORE THE COURT When a number of defendants appeared before Mr J. D. Willis, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, charged with the occupation of premises contrary to a magistrate’s closing order, counsel engaged in the case referred to the “ appalling conditions ” under which some of them were living. The tenements concerned are situated in Glasgow street, and as a result of action taken by the City Council three of them had been ordered to be closed two years ago, but the closing orders had been suspended for 12 months. Mr J. C. Robertson, who appeared on behalf of the City Council, contended that the matter of providing the defendants with homes was a State responsibility, and expressed surprise that apparently nothing had been done. The defendants were Arthur Gudsell and John Henry Griffin (Mr H. L. Gibson), Leslie Moody and David Francis Muir. The owner of the houses, Thomas Edward Lionel Lloyd (Mr R. C. Calvert) was charged on three informations with having suffered the occupation of the premises. All the defendants entered pleas of guilty. The cases were all adjourned until May 30 to see if there was a likelihood of the State Housing Department being able to do anything. Mr Robertson said that action had been taken by the City Council after the chief sanitary inspector had reported to the effect that three of the tenements were unfit for habitation. The owner had not carried out the main repair work, but had adopted this course as he took up the attitude that the buildings were past their usefulness. As the result of appeals lodged in three cases, the orders had been suspended for 12 months. When the cases came before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., the magistrate had directed the Clerk of the Court to communicate with the State Advances Corporationo to see if anything could be done, and the council had waited for 12 months before taking action. The Housing Department and local members of Parliament had also been asked to assist. “It looks as if the housing of these people is a responsibility of the State,” Mr Robertson continued, “ but the wheels of State move slowly,” and he hoped that his Worship would “ find means to oil the wheels.” The magistrate: You flatter me! Counsel said he understood that the Housing Department would make homes available to two of the defendants. One of the families was living ip particularly appalling conditions, and it was hard to believe that in a country like New Zealand people could live in such conditions. Mr Robertson said it was appreciated that the position was most difficult, but the City Council was prepared to meet it realistically and with forebearaiMr Gibson said he had inspected one of the houses and he had no idea that such conditions existed in" the Dominion. I was shocked to think that human beings had to live there," he said. “It is a wonder to me that there was not serious sickness in view of the abominable conditions under which the occupants were living.”